I Will Come To You In Your Dreams
by Stellar Snape
Summary: Hermione Granger had it all figured out...she had just graduated at the top of her class from medical school and was going to work at a very presitgious hospital. Then Albus Dumbledore came to her with news that would turn her world upside down. She ret
1. Chatper 1

Disclaimer: All characters and the HP universe in general belong to J.K. Rowling. No money is being made from the publication of this story. If there was, I wouldn't be living with my mom, now, would I?

Author Notes: Many thanks to my wonderful beta Jamie. Also to my friend JenniferW for always giving me an honest opinion and for inspiring me to write well. Thank you both!!!

Chapter 1

Albus Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and removed his spectacles, sighing heavily.

"Oh Poppy," he mumbled, rubbing his tired eyes with the heels of his hands, "Why did it have to be you?" He let his hands drop to his lap and closed his eyes, his mind wandering to the events of this morning. He had just come back from breakfast and found a large brown owl perched on his desk, a formidable looking piece of parchment tied with a black ribbon attached to its leg. He removed the letter, offered a treat to the owl, and sat down to read. Thirty minutes or more passed in complete silence, the forgotten letter crumpled in his hand, tears of grief running down his wrinkled old cheeks. Madam Pomfrey had been on holiday in Italy when Death Eaters attacked the plaza where she was dining. She had been caught in the crossfire and died from injuries she received in the battle.

Dumbledore stood, tossed a pinch of floo powder into his fireplace, then stepped into the green flames.

"Hermione Granger's residence!" he shouted, then disappeared in a whirlwind of green flames.

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"Crookshanks, get off!" Hermione hissed, yanking her blue sweater out from under her grumpy cat. She shook the ginger fur off of the fabric, then pulled the sweater over her head of shining chestnut hair. Her mane of bushy curls had tamed since school, and a dose of shine potion every morning didn't hurt either. It now hung in loose, shimmering waves all the way down her back. 

"I'm sorry Crookshanks, but you just can't use my clothes for your bed." She stroked the cat's ginger fur briefly, then went out to the kitchen to make some coffee.

She had just sat down on the black leather sofa when green flames erupted in her fireplace and none other than Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the flames, calmly brushing soot off of his dark green robes.

"Good evening, Miss Granger," he said, smiling at the look of bewilderment on her face.

"Professor!" she exclaimed, regaining some of her composure. She put the coffee cup on the end table and stood to greet her former headmaster. "What a pleasant surprise!" They embraced briefly, then sat down on the sofa together.

"Can I offer you some coffee?" Hermione asked, gesturing to her own cup.

"No thank you," Dumbledore replied, smiling lightly at Hermione. "I find that if I drink coffee past three in the afternoon sleep is an impossibility." The smile faded from his face and he sighed heavily. "I'm afraid this is not a social call Miss Granger."

"What's wrong?" she asked, her brow furrowing in concern. Her heart started to pound, a thousand different scenarios playing out in her mind, most of them involving Harry.

"Madam Pomfrey was killed just this past week by Death Eaters in Italy," Dumbledore informed her.

Hermione clapped one hand to her mouth, her eyes immediately filling with tears. Madam Pomfrey had taken Hermione on as an apprentice in her sixth year and they had formed a rather close friendship. She was like an aunt to Hermione and they had kept in touch all through Hermione's years at medical school.

"Oh God," Hermione moaned, her head falling into her hands, the tears coming unbidden now. Dumbledore scooted over next to her on the couch and pulled her into his warm embrace.

"There, there child," he whispered, stroking her soft hair soothingly. He held her until she ceased crying, then conjured up a handkerchief for her to use.

"Yes, it was very tragic," he said, sliding his wand back into his pocket. "As such, we are without a medi-witch for the coming school year." He looked at her with twinkling blue eyes. "I heard through the grapevine that you just graduated at the top of your class from medical wizardry school."

"Yes sir," Hermione confirmed, smiling shyly.

"Hermione, I am here to offer you a job at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, handing her an envelope with the Hogwarts seal on the back. She stared at him with her mouth hanging open for a moment, then hesitantly took the letter out of his hands.

Dear Miss Granger,

We would like to extent to you an invitation to join the staff at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the attending medi-witch. Your duties will be explained to you pending your acceptance of this offer. Please provide your answer to Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, by the first of July.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"I don't know what to say, Professor," Hermione said, slowly lowering the letter to the table in front of the couch.

"You could say that you'll take the position," Dumbledore said, smiling kindly at her.

Hermione smiled broadly and sat up straighter on the sofa.

"I'll take the position," she said, grinning like a child.

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"You're what?!" Harry and Ron both exclaimed at the same time.

Hermione smiled at her two best friends sitting across the table gawking at her.

"I'm taking the position as medi-witch at Hogwarts," Hermione repeated, casually sipping her water. She put the cup down and grinned smugly at them.

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed, pulling Hermione out of her chair and wrapping her in a warm embrace. "I'm so happy for you Mione!"

"Thanks Harry," Hermione mumbled against his shoulder. She pulled back and looked into his smiling emerald eyes and sighed. It was strange to think that just four short years ago she would have given anything to be held by Harry Potter. Things change though. Things always change.

"So you're moving out of your flat?" Ron asked, pulling away from their short embrace.

"I guess so," Hermione replied, frowning. Her little flat had been her only home for the past four years and she had grown rather attached to it. "I move into the school at the end of July. Just enough time to get used to my wing."

"You're not going to wear those awful outfits that Madam Pomfrey always wore, are you?" Ron asked, wrinkling his freckled nose in disgust.

"Are you kidding?" Hermione screeched, scandalized. "I loved Madam Pomfrey dearly, but her fashion sense was seriously lacking."

They laughed companionably for a moment, simply enjoying eachother's company and one of the brief moments they got to spend together. Harry had become a professional Seeker for the Chudley Cannons before marrying Ginny Weasley. They lived together near the Burrow and had one child; a little one-year old girl named Lily Hermione Potter. Ron started working for Fred and George and was now the General Manager of all branches of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. He married Padma Patil three years after school and she was presently pregnant with twins. Probably another Fred and George to grace the world with. Hermione, however, was still single and just as studious as ever.

"Oi!" Ron exclaimed, glancing at his watch. "I have to go! Padma has an appointment with the midwife this afternoon and she'll murder me if I'm late." He stood and embraced Hermione, then shook Harry's hand. "Mione, owl me as soon as you get settled, okay?" He embraced her one more time before turning to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow Harry!"

"Goodbye Ron!" Hermione called, her eyes filling with tears as she watched his familiar, gangly form saunter away.

"Mione, what's wrong?" Harry asked, laying a hand on her shoulder. 

She sniffed, then wiped a hand roughly across her eyes.

"I don't know," she said, shrugging. "I just feel like the moment I step into Hogwarts I'm never going to see you two again."

"That's ridiculous!" Harry exclaimed, taking her hands in his. "We'll come see you as often as we can and you know you're always welcome to stay with Ginny and I."

"I know, it's just never going to be the same," Hermione wailed, the tears falling unchecked now, "It hasn't been the same since the moment we graduated! I miss my best friends and it hurts so much to know that you and Ron get to see each other every day and I get to see you when it's convenient!"

"Mione," Harry began, scooting his chair next to hers and pulling her into a warm embrace. "Please don't say that, please. You know that I would love to be able to see you every day for the rest of my life, it's just not that easy." He pulled back and forced her to look into his eyes. "The only reason I see Ron everyday is because I'm married to the guy's sister and he still thinks he needs to protect her from me." Hermione smiled lightly, wiping the tears from her face. "Ridiculous, isn't it?"

"Yes., Hermione replied, chuckling. "Ridiculous." She pulled out her wand and pointed it at her face, muttering a few words to clear her face of the redness it had acquired from her outburst. "I'm sorry Harry, really I am. I guess I'm just a little nervous about taking the position at Hogwarts." She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Voldemort is still out there somewhere, and no matter how weak he is, Hogwarts is always in danger." She shook her head when she noticed the look of disbelief on Harry's face. "No, it's not that I'm afraid for myself," she began, pausing to gather her thoughts. "It's just that I'm going to be responsible for all of those children in the castle. If any of them get hurt, I have to help them. I have to make them well so that they can go home to their families. I have to keep them alive." She leaned her head down on the table and took a shuddering breath. "It's just a lot of responsibility for my first job out of college."

"Hermione, if anyone can do it, you can," Harry said, smiling down at his friend. "Who snuck into Snape's supply closet and stole ingredients for an illegal potion? Who brought Ron and I back together when we were fighting in our fourth year? Who made sure that Ron and I passed our NEWTs?"

"I did," Hermione mumbled, grinning into her arms.

"Exactly," Harry said, pulling her up to a sitting position. "Now stop moping and get up and finish packing up all of your shit. At the rate you're going now you'll never make it to the school."

Hermione glared at Harry, then pulled herself out of the chair and sighed, looking around her in disgust.

"This is ridiculous!" She spat, pulling out her wand. "Reducto!" Instantly, everything in her flat that wasn't alive shrank down to miniscule size. "Why didn't I do this in the first place?" She waved her wand and spoke a few more words and everything was packed away in one large trunk. "Mary Poppins definitely knew what she was doing, didn't she?"

"Definitely," Harry agreed, laughing.

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"Welcome back Miss Granger!" Dumbledore exclaimed, pulling her into a warm embrace.

She pulled back and smiled into his twinkling blue eyes, then laughed aloud.

"Oh, Professor," she began, turning around in a circle with her eyes closed. "It's so wonderful to be back here."

"Please, call me Albus," he requested, laughing at Hermione's bliss. He turned his eyes toward the ceiling, watching with still unveiled wonder as the staircases slowly turned and switched places, while the portraits visited with one another in their respective frames. "Yes, Hogwarts is a very magical place. And I say that without the slightest bit of sarcasm or irony."

They walked in companionable silence to the hospital wing where Hermione would be working and living during the school year.

"Well, the house elves have brought up your things, but-" he stopped when he saw the frown flicker across her face. "I instructed them to leave everything packed so that you could do all of the work yourself."

She chuckled softly, silently in awe of Dumbledore's excellent memory, especially at his age. She couldn't believe he remembered S.P.E.W.

"How in the world did you remember that Albus?" she asked, grinning.

"I remember many things Hermione," he said, turning to leave. "I expect you remember how to get to the dining hall for dinner."

"How could I ever forget?" she asked, after he had shut the door behind him. She turned and began slowly walking through the set of rooms that had been provided for her living space. The first room was large and roughly circular with dark, polished wooden floors and floor to ceiling windows placed at regular intervals along the walls. A huge stone fireplace took up most of one wall, and bookshelves were placed between most of the windows. The second room was her bedroom. Not as large as the front room, but large enough to accommodate a king-sized four-poster bed covered in deep blue velvet and satin, a large oak desk, wardrobe, a dresser, and more bookshelves. A small fireplace across from the bed would provide heat in the long winter months. The last room was her bathroom. Hermione's mouth dropped open in surprise when she pushed open the wooden door leading to the bathroom. In one corner, sunk into the floor, was a deep blue marble Jacuzzi bath, complete with several taps no doubt holding different kinds of bubbles. In the opposite corner was a large glass shower with two showerheads. 'I wonder why that shower has two showerheads?' Hermione thought to herself, blushing at the implications. The floor was made of the same polished wood, with soft rugs placed at intervals along the floor.

"This is wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed, full of childish exuberance. She squealed and took off at full speed through her rooms, throwing the door open and running through the corridors of Hogwarts. She knew she would be happy to be back, but this burst of manic delight took her by complete surprise. Being here, running the halls that she had roamed as a child filled her with indescribable joy and made her believe that everything would be okay.

"Hermione!" a voice called, making her come to a skidding halt on one of the rough stone floors. She turned to face her smiling Arithmancy professor, Professor Vektor.

"Professor Vektor!" Hermione exclaimed, grinning at the short, slight woman. She rushed over and grabbed the little woman in a tight hug. "It's so wonderful to see you again!"

"And you!" Professor Vektor agreed, laughing. "And please, call me Celeste. After all, we are colleagues now."

Hermione felt a rush of pride at being called a colleague by one of her former professors. 

"Yes," Hermione sighed, grinning. "Colleagues."

"Well Hermione, I'm sorry that I can't stay and chat with you all afternoon as I would like to, but I have several errands to run in Hogsmeade today," She shifted the large bag on her shoulder and smiled widely at the taller girl. "I'll see you at dinner."

"Goodbye Celeste!" Hermione called, already taking off at a full run in the opposite direction. Three changing staircases later, Hermione found herself at the beginning of the dungeons. She looked around at the dank walls and wondered why this place had always made her so afraid. It really wasn't any different than the basement in her grandmother's house. A little dark, a little smelly, but certainly not scary. She wandered further through the descending halls until she heard a very familiar sound; the sound of a hissing, bubbling cauldron.

"Snape," she whispered, familiar anxiety creeping into her veins. She stepped silently over to the classroom door and peered around the corner. Her mouth dropped open in surprise at what she saw. He was resplendent in black, well-fit trousers, untucked white button-down shirt and dragon-hide boots. His once greasy black hair was now clean and shining and much longer than when she had been a student. He had it pulled back in a ponytail, showing the strong, clean line of his jaw. He was too thin, that was certain, but the deft movements of his hands never faltered as he worked silently over the bubbling cauldron. She steeled her nerves, stepped over the threshold into her old Potions classroom and cleared her throat. He whirled around to see who had interrupted his work, dark eyes flashing with anger. When he saw the tall, shining haired girl standing silently in the doorway his eyes widened in surprise.

"Miss Granger." 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling - I just play with them! Only the story and a few OC's belong to me.

Author notes: Many thanks to my wonderful beta Jamie and the person who always reads my fics first, JenniferW! Both of you are wonderful!!!

****

Chapter 2

"Miss Granger."

She smiled warmly at her former potions professor and nodded her head slowly.

"Professor Snape."

They stared at each other for a moment, neither knowing quite what to say. Snape finally tore his eyes away, clearing his throat roughly.

"Well, I see your manners haven't improved any since you left Hogwarts, entering without knocking." His voice was just as sharp as ever, never mind the change in his looks.

She cringed involuntarily, slightly hurt by his words.

"Well neither have yours," she countered, mentally slapping herself in the forehead at the immaturity of what she had just said.

He turned around and the corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile.

"A Gryffindor to the very core," he muttered, shaking his head.

She smiled and took a few steps into the cold room.

"So professor, still terrorizing students?" she asked, peering into the cauldron at the yellow liquid boiling inside. He chuckled lightly as he added a pinch of a red powder to the cauldron.

"If that is how you categorize my teaching methods, then yes," he answered, wiping his hands on a white handkerchief. "So, I understand you will be joining the staff this year."

"Yes," she answered, blushing. "I'll be taking Madam Pomfrey's position." She frowned, the pain still fresh in her heart and mind.

Snape turned and glared at her with hard, unyielding eyes.

"Do you honestly think you can fill the shoes of Poppy Pomfrey?" he asked, shaking his head. "No Gryffindor, not even you, can do what she did for this school. I know you think that you and your friends, Potter and Weasley are the saviors of the entire Wizarding world, but I have news for you." He took one step closer to her and glared harder, a vein twitching in his neck. "You're not as important as you think you are."

Hermione swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that were threatening to burst forth. Where did that come from? One minute he was almost being civil, then all of a sudden this!

"How dare you," Hermione whispered, fists clenched at her sides. She turned her face up to meet his eyes and glared hard at him. "Do you honestly think I came here to outdo what Madam Pomfrey did for this school? Because I didn't! The only thing I came here to do was take care of the children who live and learn here! And, God forbid, take care of the faculty as well. I know it's unthinkable for someone to take care of the great, unbreakable Severus Snape but you may need my help someday." At this, Snape turned roughly away and paused with his hands on his hips. "These children are so important to me." Hermione continued, taking a step toward him. "If they can't survive Voldemort, the Wizarding world can't survive. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure they stay alive to fight against him." She took a deep breath and stepped around to face him. "So you better think twice before you insult my intentions again _Professor_. Because I'm fighting on the same side you are."

She glared into his glittering black eyes for a moment longer, then spun around and swept out of the classroom, slamming the door behind her.

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Snape flinched as the heavy wooden door slammed shut, the sound reverberating through the cold classroom. Who was that girl? Certainly she wasn't the same nosy, know- it-all who had taken his classes for seven years! This girl didn't even resemble the bushy-haired, big-toothed little girl who had terrorized him for so many years. This girl was absolutely breath taking with her shiny chestnut hair and sparkling cinnamon eyes. Not to mention the passion with which she spoke of her profession, much the same way he himself felt about his chosen profession. Why, oh why did he have to strike her down like that?

He roughly threw his handkerchief to the floor and swept out of the classroom, his potion forgotten over the fire. 

'You always did have a talent for pushing all the wrong buttons Severus,' he thought to himself as he made his way up the winding staircase to his rooms. He pulled out his wand and undid all of the wards around his private quarters before silently slipping inside.

He spent a good many minutes pacing around his quarters before throwing his hands up in exasperation and flopping down on the brown leather sofa.

"This is bloody ridiculous!" he screamed, yanking his hands through his hair. Why was he so upset about hurting her feelings? It certainly never bothered him before. 'Yes, but before she wasn't so desirable,' a voice nagged in the back of his mind. 

"Oh shut up!" he exclaimed, scowling at the empty room.

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"Good evening Albus," Hermione said, seating herself next to the headmaster.

"Ah, Miss Granger!" Dumbledore exclaimed, smiling widely at his newest colleague. "I see you found your way to the Great Hall."

"How could I forget?" Hermione asked, chuckling lightly.

"I understand you had a bit of a run-in with Severus this afternoon," Dumbledore stated, taking a drink of his tea.

Hermione's head snapped up from her first bite of dinner.

"How did you know?" Hermione asked, trying desperately to talk around the food in her mouth, no matter how rude it was. 

"As I said before, Hermione," he began, twinkling kindly at her. "I know a great many things." He let her swallow her food before asking again.

"Well," Hermione began, blushing slightly. "Yes. I did."

"And?" Dumbledore asked, prompting her to continue.

"And we were getting along fine until I mentioned that I was taking Madam Pomfrey's position." Hermione paused and frowned, her brow furrowed in thought. "Then he just blew up on me. And I blew up on him back." She smiled lightly at the headmaster. "To tell you the truth, no matter how much his words hurt, fighting with him was very refreshing. It lifted a load off of my chest that I didn't even know I was carrying."

Dumbledore smiled knowingly and nodded at her words.

"Yes, sometimes a little argument can be the best medicine." He paused and looked deeply into her eyes as if searching for something. "And Severus carries around a lot of pain and heavy baggage, as do you I believe."

Hermione scowled down at her mashed potatoes, poking them brutally with her fork.

"Severus and Poppy were very close these past few years," Dumbledore explained, watching her torture her potatoes. "He acquired some very agonizing injuries as a spy and Poppy and he spent many hours together while he was healing. You realize that you will have to do the same, don't you?"

Her head snapped up, realization dawning on her. She would have to take care of Snape! When she was yelling about him being unbreakable, she truly believed that he was just that...Unbreakable! To hear that he was just as vulnerable as she or anyone else at the table was very hard for her to swallow. But could the impossible happen? Could she become friends with Severus Snape? Would she allow him into her world? And, more importantly, would he allow her into his?

"You must excuse me sir," Hermione whispered, pushing her plate away from her. "I'm not very hungry anymore." She stood to leave and felt a soft hand on her forearm.

"Hermione," Dumbledore began, smiling warmly up at her from his chair. "I understand how you are feeling right now. But don't let your feelings get in the way of doing the wonderful job I know you are capable of." He released her arm and looked back down at his plate. "Sometimes I worry about Severus so much that I don't sleep for days at a time." He looked back up at her with pleading eyes. "Knowing that someone like you is here to take care of him puts my mind and soul at ease, Hermione. Please don't let him feel too much pain. It would simply kill me a little bit each day to see him in pain."

Hermione swallowed the lump forming in her throat and forced a small smile to her lips.

"Don't worry, Albus," Hermione said, reaching a hand out to touch his cheek. "His welfare is just as important to me as it is to you. I will take care of him the best I can."

"Thank you Hermione," Dumbledore said, reaching up to cup the hand on his wrinkled old cheek.

She smiled warmly at the headmaster for a few moments, then turned and strode out the double doors of the Great Hall.

'Dear God,' Hermione thought to herself as she made her way toward the entrance doors. 'What have I gotten myself into? How am I-'

"Oof!" She had just turned a particularly sharp corner when she ran into something very solid, sending her plummeting toward the hard ground. She was heading down rapidly when she felt strong arms grab her around the waist and yank her back to her feet.

"Thank you I..." she began, looking up into her rescuer's face. She flinched back in shock when she looked into the glaring face of Professor Snape.

"Professor Snape!" she exclaimed, blushing a deep crimson. "I'm so sorry I didn't mean to run into you like that! Thank you for helping me...I'm just so sorry sir." She looked down at the ground, waiting patiently for the inevitable harsh, biting comment. Instead...

"That's quite alright Miss Granger," he said, straightening his robes. "In the future, however, please try to watch where you're going. I may not be there to rescue you next time." And with that, he swept past her into the Great Hall.

She stood, staring at the closed doors with her mouth hanging open for a few moments before finally shaking her head and closing her mouth.

"Well what the hell was that?" she asked aloud before making her way to her quarters as she had intended several moments before.

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"Oh my," Hermione mumbled, running her finger along a row of bottled potions in her storeroom. "This will never do." She had been taking inventory of Madam Pomfrey's storeroom all morning and found that nearly every potion she would need for the coming year was running dangerously low. She would have to brew new batches of almost everything in the storeroom. She bent over a long piece of parchment and added the last few items she would need to the long list of potions she would have to start working on. "I guess this means a visit to the dungeons," she announced to the empty room. She straightened her robes, then made her way down to the dungeons.

"Professor Snape?" she called, knocking lightly on the classroom door. Silence. She pushed the door open and peeked inside. "Professor?"

"What is it!" a faint voice called from somewhere.

"It's Hermione Granger, sir!" she called, turning around in a circle, trying to find where the detached voice was coming from. "I need to ask you something."

"Yes, yes, what is it?" he asked, sweeping into the room with an armload of books and scrolls.

"Um, I need some potion ingredients."

"Indeed?" he asked, setting down his precarious looking load. "What kind of potions are you planning to make?"

"Medicinal," she replied, wringing her hands in front of her. She was suddenly very nervous. "I need to replenish the stores for the coming school year. Nearly everything in the storeroom is depleted." She sighed and took a few more steps into the room. "I'm afraid I have a lot of work to do, so if you wouldn't mind?" She slapped her list down on the desk in front of him and crossed her arms.

He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"In a hurry are we?" he asked, making no move to stand and help her. "Afraid that your incompetence in potion making will hinder your efforts?"

"Professor we both know that I had perfect marks in Potions so please stop trying to drag me down with your biting comments."

He growled, then grabbed the list and perused it briefly.

"You have enough listed here to fill Poppy's storeroom twice!" he exclaimed, looking up at her questioningly.

"I just want to be prepared for anything," Hermione said, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Very well, follow me." He swept past her, list in hand through a narrow door across from his desk. She followed him into the supply room, memories of the time she stole potion ingredients out of this room flashing through her mind. She grinned at the memory of she, Ron, and Harry brewing the Polyjuice Potion in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom in their second year. Of course, it wasn't funny back then, but time certainly changed your perspective on things like that.

"What is so amusing, Miss Granger?" Snape asked, reaching up to retrieve a large bottle filled with a shimmering silver liquid.

"Well," she began, uncertain if she should reveal it to him or not. Why not? He couldn't exactly take points from her house or give her detention now could he? "I was just thinking about the time I stole potion ingredients out of this room in my second year."

He chuckled lightly, handing her the bottle. She simply stared at him, wondering where the lecture was.

"What, you think I didn't know about that?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"But how?" she asked, shaking her head.

"Well, I didn't actually find out about it until Madam Pomfrey came to me with the most fascinating story." He handed her another bottle then turned back to another shelf, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "She informed me that one Hermione Granger had turned herself into a cat. Wanted to know what kind of potion we were brewing in class. I informed her that we had been brewing no such potion in class." He pulled down several odd jars and containers, piling them all on a small table. "So, I came back here to check my stores, found the missing powdered bicorn horn and boomslang skin and put two and two together."

She grinned at Snape's back and shook her head.

"So if you knew who it was all along, why didn't you punish me?"

"I should think that would be obvious," he replied, turning back to her. "Spending as long as you did with black fur all over your face was punishment enough I think. Not to mention a tail." He conjured a large trunk and placed all of the jars, bottles, and odd containers inside, then shrunk it down to the size of a shoebox. "Here you are." He handed her the box.

"Thank you Professor," Hermione said, smiling at him. She turned to leave then stopped. "And thank you for your discretion in my second year. If the school had found out that I had fur on my face, I never would have lived it down."

He nodded briefly, then disappeared into another room.

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"Shit!" It was the morning after Hermione had retrieved her potion ingredients and she had been up all night brewing. Her exhaustion was beginning to catch up with her, however, when she accidentally dropped too much asphodel into her cauldron and ruined an entire batch of Dreamless Sleep potion. In a fit of uncharacteristic anger, she threw a beaker across the room, shattering it on the wall.

"Hermione?" 

She looked up at the sound of the voice and started back in surprise.

"Remus?" she asked, standing up. "Remus Lupin?"

"That's my name," the older man said, grinning at her from the doorway. She laughed aloud, then ran into his open arms.

"Oh, it's so wonderful to see you!" she exclaimed, pulling back and looking into his smiling face.

"And you!" he said, ruffling her hair. "I simply had to come visit my newest colleague."

"Colleague?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Yes, I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed, slapping herself in the forehead. "I should have known. I've visited with the professor for every subject except DADA." She turned and hastily cleaned up the smashed beaker, clearing her throat self-consciously. "Would you like some tea?"

"Tea would be wonderful," he answered, following her into her private rooms. "So how is Harry?"

"Harry's doing really great," Hermione replied, putting a kettle on for tea. "He has some time off from the Cannons right now so he's been spending a lot of time with Lily and Ginny."

"I just can't believe Harry Potter is a father," Remus said, shaking his head and chuckling softly. "But I'm sure he's wonderful at it. James was."

"Yes he's a wonderful father," Hermione voiced, pouring the hot water into two cups. She added tea bags, then sat down beside him on the sofa. "It's like he's trying to make up for the fact that he never had a father, you know?"

"I understand that," Remus said, stirring his tea. "And how is Ron? Ready to be a father?"

"Ron is petrified!" Hermione exclaimed, laughing. "I think he's worried that he'll screw up or have children like Fred and George. But I think he'll be a great papa."

"If he's anything like his own parents he will be," Remus stated, taking a sip out of his mug. "It, ah, sounded like you were having a bit of trouble back there." He gestured toward her workroom.

"Erm, yes," Hermione confirmed, blushing. "I've been up all night brewing and I made a huge mistake. Ruined an entire batch of Dreamless Sleep Potion." She put her cup on the end table and pulled her knees up to her chin. "I'm so tired I can barely think let alone brew a difficult potion."

"Well I think that's my cue to leave," Remus said, standing up.

"Oh, Remus please don't be offended!" Hermione exclaimed, scrambling to stand up beside him. "That wasn't a hint or anything, just talking."

"Hermione I'm not offended," he said, laughing. "I understand the need for sleep as well as the next person." He reached over and hugged her lightly. "It was good seeing you again. Now get some sleep."

"Thank you Remus."

Hermione watched him leave the room, then drug herself into the bedroom. She shrugged off her robes, pulled on an oversized Chudley Cannons t-shirt, and fell onto the bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

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Hermione woke up slowly, confused by the sun pouring in her westward-facing window. What was she doing in bed? Then she remembered the following night. Brewing potions until she could barely stand.

She stretched luxuriously, then glanced over at her bedside clock. It was nearing seven o'clock! She had slept the entire day away! She jumped out of bed and dressed quickly, acutely conscious of her rumbling stomach. She pulled a brush through her hair, then dashed down to the Great Hall in hopes of securing some dinner. She was just in time.

"Miss Granger, you're just in time!" Professor Flitwick squeaked at her as she plopped down in a seat next to the tiny Charms professor. He filled a plate with goulash and sat it down in front of her.

"Thank you Professor," she said, smiling gratefully at her former Professor.

"You're quite welcome." He turned his attention back to his own plate, leaving Hermione to eat in silence. She glanced around at the faces scattered around the table, letting her gaze linger on a silent, dark-haired figure sitting by himself at one end. She didn't quite know what to think of Professor Snape these days. Some of the most vivid memories she had from Hogwarts were of Snape. Most of them were not pleasant. But ever since she had stepped foot into his dungeons two days ago, things seemed different. It wasn't just the difference in his appearance; it was his character. He seemed almost to be polite to her. Occasionally he would slip back into his usual cold, sarcastic demeanor, but he had allowed her a glimpse of the man under the sneer. A man, she could tell, who was capable of warmth and compassion, two characteristics she never would have used to describe Snape before now.

She must have been staring pointedly for some time, because he slowly raised his head and met her eyes, frowning at her from the end of the table. She blushed and looked down at her own food, poking it listlessly with her fork. 

'Oh my god, he caught me staring at him!' she thought to herself, blushing an even deeper shade of crimson. She looked back up and found him studying her intently from hooded eyes, a strange look on his pale face.

She jumped as she felt a hand come down on her shoulder. 

"Hermione!" Remus exclaimed, grinning down at her. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Remus!" she breathed, one hand going to her heart. It was pounding furiously. "You frightened me!" She glanced back over at Snape and found him working on his food again. "Yes, I had a wonderful nap. I only just woke up."

"Really?" he asked, sitting down next to her. "Are you finished with that?" He gestured to her plate and pulled it away without waiting for an answer. She glared at him, slightly miffed by his actions. Who did he think he was?

She stood up and glared down at him.

"I'm sorry but I have a lot of work to do. Good evening." She turned and strode out of the Great Hall, leaving a bewildered looking Professor Lupin staring after her in shock. If she would have turned at that moment she would have found a most amusing sight; Severus Snape with his head thrown back in laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Remus glared over at the laughing figure of Severus Snape.

"Something amusing, Snape?"

Snape let his head fall forward and swallowed back the last bit of laughter that tried to bubble forth. 

"Ah, Lupin!" he exclaimed, still chortling. "You always did have such a way with the fairer sex. Tell me, did you shed in her food? Because if I know Miss Granger, she wouldn't appreciate having a dog eat off her plate."

"Go poison yourself Snape," Remus muttered, tucking into Hermione's food again.

Snape just laughed, then pushed his plate away and stood to leave.

"Hey Snape!" Remus called, stopping Snape in his tracks. "You seem to have taken a liking to Hermione."

"What makes you think that?" Snape asked, turning to glare at Lupin.

"I've known you for a long time, Severus," Remus began, grinning smugly at him. "And I don't think I've ever seen you laugh like that before."

"Anything that makes you uncomfortable is funny to me, Lupin," Snape said, turning to leave again.

"Well, if you really do have a soft spot for her you may want to help her out," Remus called, ignoring Snape's last comment. "She ruined an entire batch of Dreamless Sleep Potion this morning and was, ah, pretty upset about it. In fact, she nearly took my head off with a flying beaker." He paused and smiled at the Potion Master's back. "Just a thought."

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Nighttime at Hogwarts during the summer holidays was a very peaceful time. No students were wandering the corridors, and Filch and Mrs. Norris retired to bed no later than 9:00 every night. Because of this, Severus Snape found it very simple to make his way to the hospital wing completely undetected.

The corridors were dark and gloomy, shadows jumping out at every turn, suits of armor resembling dark sentinels guarding the secrets hidden in the walls, but Severus took no notice of these things. Hogwarts was the only place he preferred to call home and he knew every nook and cranny, every creak and shadow of the castle. 

He crept slowly to the door that led into the hospital wing and stopped, stooping over to put a large box outside the door. He quickly scratched a note on a small piece of parchment, folded it, and placed it on top of the box. He stood, smiled broadly, then turned and headed back down to the dungeons.

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"Good morning Crookshanks," Hermione said, looking down to the foot of her bed. Her large ginger cat was lounging comfortably on her feet and didn't look like he was going to move any time soon. "I'm sorry little boy but I have to get up." She pulled her feet out from under the cat, then climbed out of bed. She took a few moments to shower and dress, then started out to get some breakfast. She closed and locked the door to her quarters, went through her brightly-lit office and opened the door to the hallway beyond. She nearly toppled over the box that was sitting outside the door.

"What's this?" she asked, crouching down to look at the box. There was a note sitting on the top.

Miss Granger,

Professor Lupin informed me of your misfortune with the Dreamless Sleep Potion so I took the liberty of brewing a batch for you. I hope you will welcome my help now and in the future. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask.

Prof. S. Snape

Hermione opened the box and found twelve neatly arranged bottles of Dreamless Sleep Potion, each bottle neatly corked with a label attached that showed the date it was brewed along with Snape's initials. Hermione smiled, silently thanking the Potions Professor for his kindness and thoughtfulness. She picked up the box and took it into her office, depositing it on a table. She smiled down at the box then turned and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast, hoping to get a moment to thank Professor Snape.

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"Good morning, Minerva!" Hermione called as she sat down at a small round table for breakfast.

"Good morning, Hermione," McGonagall greeted, smiling at Hermione. "Have some fruit." She filled a bowl with melon and handed it to the younger girl.

"Mmm, my favorite," Hermione murmured, spearing a piece with her fork and putting it in her mouth. She chewed slowly, savoring the sweet flavor of her favorite fruit.

"Have you seen Professor Snape this morning?"

"No, why do you ask?" Minerva asked, looking quizzically over at Hermione.

"Oh, he helped me out with something and I just wanted to thank him," Hermione answered, taking another bite of melon.

Minerva's fork clattered to her plate.

"He what?" she asked, both of her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"He helped me with something," Hermione repeated, grinning at the shock on the Transfiguration professor's face.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Dumbledore exclaimed, smiling down at Hermione. 

"Albus!" Hermione exclaimed. He had just appeared out of nowhere and frightened Hermione considerably. "You startled me. And what's wonderful?"

"Severus, my dear," Dumbledore replied, taking the chair on Hermione's right. "I don't remember the last time he has done anyone here a favor, not counting myself of course." He poured a cup of tea and added a considerable amount of sugar. "Take Minerva for example. Minerva, when was the last time Severus did something for you without your asking first?"

"I really don't recall," McGonagall answered, smiling into her teacup. "It's not that he's unwilling to help, I just usually have to ask him first."

"Oh." Hermione couldn't think of anything else to say she was too shocked by the morning's revelation. Perhaps the impossible could happen. Perhaps she could become friends with the brooding professor. She smiled as she imagined the looks she would get from Harry and Ron if she and Snape ever did become friends. Horror, revulsion, shock, and total disbelief were the words she would use to describe their feelings toward their friendship. Oh well, there was no reason to count her chickens before they hatched, she thought. "Albus, have you seen him?"

"No dear," he replied. "What is today?"

"Friday," Minerva told him as she buttered a piece of toast.

"Ah, then Severus will be out on his morning run."

Hermione sputtered, choking on a piece of melon. "He's what?!"

"Running." Dumbledore repeated, twinkling at Hermione from the corner of his eye. "He runs three times a week to keep in shape." He laughed merrily. "I think most of the students would do just what you did if they were to find out that their frightening Potions Professor was something of a health nut." He patted Hermione's hand reassuringly. "But don't tell anyone. Severus would be most annoyed if anyone outside these walls were to find out."

"Oh I won't tell anyone," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I'm still not sure I believe it myself. I couldn't imagine what Ron and Harry would say." She looked at Dumbledore, then couldn't hold it back anymore. They both burst out laughing, heads thrown back in merriment, tears leaking down their cheeks.

Minerva glanced over at the laughing pair of teachers and shook her head, smiling knowingly.

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Severus skidded to a halt at the edge of the lake, puffing great breaths of air in and out of his lungs. He stretched briefly, then turned and headed back toward the castle for a quick shower then some breakfast. Instead of going in the main doors, he skirted around the perimeter of the castle and entered through a low door nearly hidden in a stand of pine trees. It opened right into his office. He stepped down the few stone steps head down, then stopped in shock to find Hermione Granger seated in one of the armchairs before his desk.

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Hermione's mouth fell open in shock as the door on the far wall creaked open. Severus Snape started down the stairs, the sun streaming in behind him, looking no less than godly. She never would have believed it; Professor Snape was hot! He was clad only in athletic shorts and trainers, bare chest and stomach rippling with muscle that was shining with sweat.

'Oh. My. God.' Hermione thought to herself. It kept running through her mind over and over again as she watched him descend the stairs. She wanted to bolt out of there right then but found that her body wouldn't budge from the chair. She was glued to the spot and witnessing something she never would have believed possible.

He looked up.

"Miss Granger!" he exclaimed, halting on the last step. "What are you doing here? And how did you get in?"

"I, uh," she stammered, finding it difficult to speak. Her throat seemed to have closed up in the last few seconds. "That is, I came in through the door." She gestured lamely at the door behind her chair.

"Yes, I would have guessed that much," he said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes at her. "But how did you get through my wards?"

"There were no wards sir," Hermione answered, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"What? Don't be ridiculous! I always cast wards before I leave my office."

"Sorry, but you must have forgotten," Hermione told him, blushing slightly as he came to stand right in front of her. "I knocked and there was no answer, so I let myself in." Her eyes wandered down to his collarbone, then on down to the thin line of hair that started below his belly button and disappeared under the waistband of his shorts. She swallowed hard. "No wards."

"Indeed." He bent low and looked her square in the eye. "You're not telling me something."

"Sorry, but I'm telling you the truth," Hermione muttered, holding his steady gaze with her own, her breathing becoming shallower by the second. His nearness was having a profound effect on her body. "No wards," she repeated, shaking her head slightly for emphasis.

He looked into her eyes for a moment longer, then abruptly stood up and walked around to his desk. He poured a glass of water out of the pitcher he always kept at his desk and downed it in one gulp.

"So tell me," he began, pouring another glass of water. "What compelled you to come into my office and wait for me to get here?"

Hermione let out the breath she had been holding.

"I just wanted to thank you for the Dreamless Sleep Potion," Hermione said, smiling up at him. "I really appreciate and welcome your help. I was having an awful morning and Remus just caught me at a bad time."

"You're quite welcome," Snape said, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "Lupin told me you nearly took his head off with a flying beaker." He chuckled lightly. "I never would have pictured you to be the type to throw valuable lab equipment."

"Well I _can_ fix it," Hermione pointed out smugly. "I am a witch."

"You don't say?" Severus asked sarcastically. He perched on the edge of the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you need help with anything else?"

Hermione started back in surprise. "Um, not at the moment," she replied, blinking in wonderment. This would be the second time he offered to help her. What was going on?

She stood, walked over to him and rested her hand on his forearm. "Thank you again for your help."

He reached over and closed a warm hand over hers.

"You are very welcome," he said, smiling a real, genuine smile at her. "And I will be here if you need anything. Please don't hesitate to ask, I'm more than willing."

She nodded, then pulled her hand out from under his and left the office, skin tingling where he had touched her.

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"Professor Snape!" Hermione called, slamming open the door to his office. She twirled around, searching for his familiar figure. "Professor, where are you!"

She heard the sound of rapidly approaching feet. A moment later a door in the far wall crashed open and Snape rushed in, a look of horror on his face.

"What is it?" he demanded, breathing hard. "What's wrong?"

Hermione just stared at him for a moment, taking in his disheveled appearance. Everything from his hair standing wildly on end to the rumpled clothes he was wearing made her want to burst out laughing. But she knew better than to do that. Instead, she covered her mouth and coughed, trying to veil the amusement surely lurking in her eyes.

"Um, nothing's wrong," she began, looking up into his eyes, the corners of her mouth twitching involuntarily. She coughed again and shook her head. "I just need your help with something."

"Well, what is it?" he asked, glaring hard at her. He could tell how hard she was trying to hide her amusement and it was beginning to get on his nerves.

"I need you to teach me how to..." she paused, blushing to the roots of her hair.

"How to what?" he demanded, gesturing wildly for her to continue.

"Ride a broomstick," Hermione muttered, looking down at the floor.

"You're kidding me, right?" he asked sardonically, one eyebrow shooting up. "You came barging into my office screaming for me at six am to ask me to teach you to ride a broomstick?"

She glared up into his face and harrumphed.

"No, I'm not kidding you," Hermione answered, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I've never been any good at it and I got this letter from Harry today telling me all about Padma's baby shower..." she paused and pulled a piece of parchment out of her pocket. "Read this."

Snape took the parchment and smoothed out as many wrinkles as he could.

__

Dear Hermione,

How are you? I hope you're all settled in at the school. I'm sure you're doing a wonderful job already. Snape isn't being a total prat, is he?

"Typical Potter." he murmured, shaking his head. He continued reading.

Ginny wanted me to let you know there is going to be a baby shower for Padma this coming Saturday. You absolutely have to come, no excuses! There will be tons of food courtesy of Mrs. Weasley and all kinds of games; most of them played on broomsticks! Sounds like fun, doesn't it? 

Owl me back to let me know if you're coming. I can't wait to see you Mione! We all miss you. Lily keeps asking for Auntie Monee.

All my love,

Harry

Snape handed her the letter and sighed deeply.

"Well?" Hermione asked, folding the letter and stuffing it in a pocket of her robes. "Will you help me?"

"How can I say no when baby shower games are at stake?" he asked, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

"You're an angel!" she exclaimed, laughing aloud. "When can we start?"

"Well if you'll give me a few moments to clean up," he gestured to his hair. "I'll meet you outside in ten minutes."

"Great!" she exclaimed, dashing out of his office.

He watched her race down the hall, shining hair streaming out behind her and felt a slight warmth seep into his cheeks. 

'She certainly is beautiful,' he thought to himself. 'And she wants to spend time with you. Not Lupin or anyone else, just you.' 

He shook his head, then made his way back to his rooms for a quick shower.

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"Now, Miss Granger," Snape began, pacing in front of her as if he were teaching class.

"Please, call me Hermione," she interrupted, smiling shyly at him. "Friends don't call each other Miss and Mr. whatever. I certainly don't plan on calling you Mr. Snape."

He started back, shock written all over his face. Friends? Did she just say they were friends? He cleared his throat and looked down at his booted feet.

"Very well...Hermione."

She shivered when he said her name. He made it sound like satin pulled through your fingers. Smooth, silky, and completely sensual.

"May I call you Severus?" she asked, wringing her hands.

He looked her in the eye for a moment before nodding his head.

"Of course you may," he answered, smiling lightly. "Are you ready to continue?"

"Yes sir," Hermione said, slipping back into the student/teacher persona.

He held out an old Nimbus 2000 for her to take.

"You know how to mount the broomstick, correct?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She blushed at the sexual innuendo in his statement.

"Yes," she answered, taking the broomstick from him, a short snort of laughter escaping her throat. The eyebrow went up even further at that. "I'm sorry, it's just what you said..."

"Ah, you're referring to the old Gryffindor view on sexuality," he said, chuckling lightly. "I'll just go ahead and ignore that." He mounted his broomstick and instructed her to do the same. "The key to flying is balance. You must keep your weight balanced. Don't lean too much unless you are trying to turn. Try to stay centered."

She nodded her head and watched him kick off into the air.

"Kick off and come up to my level!" he called.

She kicked off hard, and flew shakily up to where he was hovering.

"That was abysmal!" he exclaimed, shaking his head. "Did no one ever try to teach you to fly?"

"It's not that they never tried," Hermione began, glaring at him, brown eyes flashing. "I'm just a little afraid, that's all."

"Oh is that all?" he asked, sarcasm dripping from his every word. "Hermione flying is wonderful! Don't let something as trivial as fear hold you back from this amazing experience! Do you even know what it feels like to really fly?"

She shook her head.

"Get on." 

"Excuse me?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Get on," he repeated, patting the broomstick behind him.

"Why?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Honestly, you have brains now use them!" he scolded, glaring at her. "I'm going to take you for a real ride. Now get on!"

He held out his hand and pulled her over next to his broom. Shakily, she climbed on behind him and clamped her arms around his hard midsection, burying her face in the back of his robes.

"Hermione!" he gasped, clawing at her arms. "Loosen up a bit! I can't fly if I'm going to pass out from lack of air."

"Sorry," she mumbled, loosening her hold just slightly. She kept her face buried in his robes.

"Hermione, you have to look." He wriggled around a bit until she pulled her head up and looked around his shoulder.

"Satisfied?" she asked tersely.

"Very."

With that, he shot off into the sky, pulling complicated loops and spins, Hermione squealing in delight. They flew around the castle, dipping in and out of the courtyards and circling the towers, then went out over the lake, sometimes getting so close to the surface that she could skim her fingers through the very top of the water. It was wonderful! 

She finally relaxed enough to enjoy not only the ride, but also the man in front of her. He smelled faintly of herbs and spices, and a few loose strands of his hair were brushing deliciously across the side of her neck. She could feel his muscles bunch and contract with every turn, twist, and dive and her body was beginning to respond. She was practically shaking with desire when he finally touched down. She jumped off the broom and backed up a few paces, grinning with glee.

"Severus that was wonderful!" she exclaimed, laughing. "I never knew it could be like that! Where did you learn that?"

He allowed a smile to grow on his face before answering. Her excitement was contagious.

"I was a Beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team for four years," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. "But I've always loved flying." He held out the broom for her to take. "Are you ready?"

"Oh, I can't possibly fly now," she said, twirling around. "That was too good to ruin." She ran over to his side and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you so much."

He looked at her in wonder, then smiled.

"You are welcome Hermione."

She grinned up at him a moment longer then turned and ran up to the castle.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The flying lessons continued all week long and before Hermione knew it, it was Saturday and time for her to leave for Padma's baby shower.

"Just remember everything we talked about," Snape told her that morning after a quick run-through of everything he had taught her. "You'll be fine. It's not like this is the Quidditch World Cup or anything."

Well that was easy for him to say, Hermione thought as she walked towards Hogsmeade. He had been flying since he could walk! She, however, would be the only one at the baby shower who hadn't been flying since she started at Hogwarts. Well she would show them. 

She stepped up her pace and walked faster, determined not to let her resolve falter. She stepped over the threshold into Hogsmeade and apparated.

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"Hermione, you were amazing!"

"Excellent flying Mione, really excellent!"

"Where did you learn to do that?"

It was three o'clock in the afternoon and they had just finished a series of relay races on broomsticks. The party had been separated into groups of four, Hermione's group consisting of herself, Harry, Parvati, and Fred. When her name had come up for her group she heard a collective groan come from the other three. She had merely lifted her chin and glared, daring them to cross her.

"We will win this," she had told them.

She was right. They won by a margin of nearly a hundred yards.

She shook her head and came back to the present, then looked over at George Weasley, the person who had asked the last question.

"What George, you don't believe that was just talent?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

Everyone laughed.

"We've all seen you fly before Hermione," Padma pointed out, laughing heartily.

"I'm not sure you really want to know," she said, frowning. They weren't going to believe her even if she did tell them.

"We do Mione," Ron said, wrapping an arm around Padma's shoulders.

"Professor Snape taught me." 

"What?!" everyone exclaimed at the same time. There was a flurry of excited voices and many shaking heads.

"Yeah, he's actually been helping me quite a bit since I started working at the school," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes at the group. "Apparently he was a beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team and he's an excellent flier. He taught me that in a week."

"He taught you to fly like that in a week?" Harry asked, his eyebrows nearly disappearing in his hairline. 

"Yes, he did," Hermione answered, smiling. "Now I think we won a prize, didn't we?" she asked, dodging the subject of her budding friendship with the most frightening professor at Hogwarts.

"Ah, yes," Fred exclaimed, his blue eyes lighting up with glee. "Where is the prize?"

"Yeah, we're ready for our winnings, now," Parvati said, grinning smugly.

"Here you are," Ginny announced, handing a large blue bag to each of them. Hermione dug into the bag and smiled. She pulled out a large bottle of wine and held it out in front of her.

"I hope we're not expected to share this right now," she said, smirking at the crowd of people around her. 

"Absolutely not!" Fred yelled, clutching his bottle tightly to his chest. "I think someone special might want to share this with me." He turned to his right and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at his wife, Maria.

"Don't think you're going to get back on my good side with that, Frederick," she said, glaring at him. "I still haven't forgotten about the color-changing shampoo you traded for my regular shampoo."

Fred and George both guffawed loudly at that. The color-changing shampoo was one of their hottest selling items.

"Well, we had to test it on someone," Fred pointed out, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Did you have to go to work with blue hair?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, er, no, but," he stammered, blushing to the roots of his hair.

"Well, I'm starved," Padma announced, breaking up a potentially explosive argument. "Anyone else?"

"Yes, let's eat," Ron agreed, pulling his wife toward the tables that were literally sagging with plates of food.

"You're always hungry, Ron," Harry said, putting an arm around Ginny's waist and following Ron and Padma to the food tables. "You'd think he'd be the size of a house by now," he said in an undertone to his wife. She giggled and punched Harry lightly on the shoulder.

"I don't think you have any room to talk, Mr. Potter," Hermione said, coming up beside him.

"Oh, that hurt!" he exclaimed, swinging his other arm around Hermione's waist and giving her a light squeeze. "Just because Ron and I don't eat like birds."

She harrumphed at him, but couldn't help smiling at the look on his face. His eyebrows were scrunched together and he had the cutest little frown on his face.

"Ginny, how do you say no to him?" Hermione asked, leaning around Harry to face Ginny.

"I usually don't," Ginny answered, laughing, "but I find that simply not looking at his face when I say no helps." She paused and planted a small kiss on Harry's cheek. "But that cute little pout always pops into my mind and I almost always end up saying yes after I say no. It's infuriating!"

"I can't help it if I'm irresistible," Harry said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"You and Malfoy should start a fan club," Ginny said, winking at Hermione. 

"Please!" Harry exclaimed, looking over at his wife with a shocked expression on his face. "Don't compare me to that, that,"

"Complete and total pain in the fucking ass?" Ron asked, in a voice that one would use to inquire about the weather.

"Ronald!" Padma exclaimed, placing her hands protectively over her belly. "They don't need to hear that kind of language!"

"Speaking of 'they'," Hermione said, stopping and smiling at Padma. "Do we know whether we are going to have another Fred and George or another Parvati and Padma?"

"Well," Padma began, blushing lightly. "We weren't going to tell anyone until the birth, but since you asked,"

"We're having one of each!" Ron exclaimed, not able to hold his tongue any longer. He was grinning from ear to ear, one hand rubbing across Padma's belly tenderly.

"Oh that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing over and hugging both of them. 

"Have you decided on names yet?" Ginny asked, pulling away from the embrace she had been sharing with her brother.

"We're going to name the girl Gracen and the boy Grant," Padma replied, grinning as widely as Ron.

"Excellent!" George exclaimed. "I can't wait to teach them some of Fred and my tricks!"

"Hopefully they will follow in our footsteps," Fred said, wistfully. 

Everyone stared at the twins, horror on every face. No one wanted to be around if Fred and George ever got the new twins alone. It was bad enough having one Fred and George, but two?

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Maria said, grinning at Padma. "I wouldn't wish Fred and George on anyone."

"Hey!" Fred exclaimed, a hurt look on his face.

"Okay, I thought we came over here to eat," Ron said, stepping between his brother and sister-in-law. "Not tear eachother apart."

"You're right," Maria agreed, stepping around Ron. She stood on tiptoe and kissed Fred lightly on the lips. "Let's eat, Freddy."

"Anything you say," he said, pulling her in for another kiss.

Ron groaned. 

"Oh, here they go again," he moaned, shaking his head. 

Everyone stepped around the couple who were completely oblivious to everyone around them. They didn't even notice when George poured a drop of Lover's Levitation on the two of them and they began to drift up into the sky.

"They're going to get a nasty shock when they come up for air," Hermione said, glancing up at the floating couple.

"Don't worry," George said, following her gaze. "The potion wears off after a couple of hours."

Hermione whipped her head around to George, a huge, evil grin plastered on his face. God she never wanted to get on either of the twin's bad sides. She shuddered thinking about what they might have in store for her if she turned her back for even a second.

"I hope I never make you mad, George," Hermione said, shaking her head. He threw his head back and laughed, then swung an arm around her shoulders to steer her back toward the food.

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Hermione walked slowly back down the path from Hogsmeade, a small smile coming to her lips. The day had been wonderful. She had spent the entire day with people she loved and shocked them all with her newfound talent at flying. She, of course, had Severus to thank for that. Severus. The smile grew wider as she thought about him. She had only been in the castle for three weeks and already she felt differently about her old Potions professor. They had formed a close friendship and she loved it. None of her other friends could challenge her mind the way he could and she treasured that quality in him. Her free evenings would find her in his office, a tray of tea between them on the table and a fire crackling merrily in the fireplace. They sometimes stayed up until the wee hours of the morning discussing everything from the workings of the Ministry of Magic to Muggle literature. They never discussed Voldemort or the fact that he could be summoned at any time. She shuddered as she thought about it. She wondered how she would feel if he were to be summoned and come back injured. Would she be able to help him? She shook off the feeling of dread that had just settled on her shoulders and walked faster, hoping to make it back to the castle before the sun had fully set.

Her fingers strayed down into her bag and fell on something made of cool glass. She pulled it out of the bag and smiled down at the neck of a purple wine bottle.

**************************************************************************************

Severus stepped out of the shower and wrapped a large blue towel around his waist, wiping steam off of the mirror with his free hand. He looked into the mirror and frowned. No, he certainly wouldn't call himself handsome. He had let his hair grow over the summer and liked to wear it pulled back in a ponytail. He had a rather high forehead that came down to two severely arched black eyebrows over sparkling eyes, so dark brown they were almost black. He poked the sides of his nose, as if trying to straighten out the crooked line, knowing in his heart that there was nothing he could do about it. Black had broken his nose far too many times for it to ever be straight again. He had fairly thin, pink lips over slightly crooked teeth. Teeth that were no longer yellow, but a sparkling white. He only yellowed his teeth for the school year. It made the students loathe him and kept up the charade he pulled every day of his life. He sighed and turned away from the mirror. No, he knew better than to hope any woman would ever look at him with love in her eyes.

He dressed in a pair of gray pants and a black t-shirt and pulled his hair back, all the while thinking that he didn't want just any woman. No, he knew exactly who he wanted. "You may as well wish for a perfect life, Severus," he said aloud, looking out the window at the path from Hogsmeade. He started back in surprise at the sight he beheld out his window. Hermione was actually skipping up the path, a beautiful smile on her face, looking for all the world as if she had discovered the meaning of life. He laughed aloud, then made his way to his office and exited through the door. He sauntered up toward the path and stopped against a tree, leaning on the trunk with his hands in his pockets.

"You certainly look pleased with yourself!" he called, making her stop in her tracks and whirl around. She smiled widely and laughed.

"Severus!" she called, running down toward him. "You took me by surprise." She took in his appearance, her eyes widening as she noticed the way the shirt clung to his lean frame, outlining his muscles perfectly. She took a deep breath and tried to force down the flush rising to her cheeks. "Would you like to escort me back to the castle?"

He pushed himself away from the tree and extended his arm. She laughed, then accepted his arm and started walking back up the path.

"So what is it that made you so happy?" he asked, leaning toward her slightly and breathing in the delicious scent of her hair. It smelled like ripe berries and vanilla. Intoxicating, really.

"I had such a wonderful day," she began, grinning. "I didn't realize how much I would miss everyone until I was actually gone, you know?"

He nodded as if he understood, but in reality he had no idea what she meant. He had never had anyone close enough to him to actually miss.

"And, I totally wowed them during the relay race," she said, grinning smugly up at him. "You really did it! You taught me how to fly! Anyone else would have told me it was impossible and given up." She squeezed his arm to her side and sighed. "Thank you so much for your help, Severus."

His voice shook when he spoke next.

"You're welcome, Hermione." It was very disconcerting having her holding onto him so tightly.

"Well," she pulled back and dug in her bag. "I won a little prize and I was hoping you would share it with me." She looked back up at him and held out her hand, a bottle of wine clutched in her fingers. She cocked her head and smiled lightly at him. "What do you say?"

He grinned and took the bottle from her, studying the label closely.

"Inspection passed," he announced, handing the bottle back to her. "An excellent year." He put a hand to her lower back and steered her toward the low door to his office. "I accept."

**************************************************************************************

"I don't think my office will do," he told her, opening the door and heading out into the hallway. She followed him around the corner and up a winding staircase. She watched him pull out his wand and utter a few spells then followed him through the door to his rooms. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. His quarters were sumptuously decorated in rich earth tones, each piece complimenting the next perfectly. The furniture was all made out of dark wood and brown leather, there was a huge fireplace in front of the couch, and best of all, he had bookshelves on every wall, literally sagging under the weight of all of his books. Hermione's eyes lit up as she walked over to a shelf and ran her fingers over the leather bindings. He watched her with amusement. She seemed to have forgotten where she was.

"You're free to borrow any of them whenever you wish," he said, opening a cabinet and pulling down two wineglasses. 

She whirled around with a guilty look on her face.

"Did I look that pathetic?" she asked, blushing.

"You looked like you were in heaven," he said, setting the glasses and wine down on a table in front of the couch.

"I was," she said, sitting down next to him on the couch. "Books are my first love."

He poured wine in each of their glasses and handed one to her, a strange look on his face.

"I thought I was the only one like that," he said, taking a long drink of his wine.

"I'm finding out we're made of the same cloth," Hermione muttered, following suit and drinking her wine down in one swallow. He raised an eyebrow at her and poured her more wine.

They sat together for quite awhile, finishing the bottle in the process, each becoming a little light-headed as they talked.

"Severus, can I ask you something?" she asked, blushing.

"Of course," he replied, swinging his legs up on the table and leaning his head back on the couch. 

She studied his profile for a moment, not knowing exactly how to word her question.

"Well, I've noticed since I came here that you look, well, different," she began, flushing harder. "And I was wondering what you did to make yourself look so...so..." She paused, dreading the next word. "Clean."

His head shot up off the back of the couch and he simply looked at her, no expression on his face. She wrung her hands in her lap and looked down.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that," she looked up and started back.

His eyes were closed and his shoulders were shaking with silent laughter.

"Severus?" she asked, reaching over and touching his arm.

His eyes shot open and he roared with laughter, slapping his knees with both hands.

"Oh my!" he exclaimed, the laughter finally dying down. "Is that all?" He turned toward her and smiled. "Hermione, you are aware of my double life, correct?" She nodded. "Part of my job is making sure everyone here is intimidated by me, in order to keep up my reputation as a 'scary death-eater.' My appearance is part of that." He paused and leaned back on the arm of the couch. "I make my hair greasy, yellow my teeth, and use a special potion on my skin." He shrugged and looked back over at her. "It's a small price to pay for Dumbledore's trust."

She smiled, finally understanding the change.

"It's too bad you have to do that," she said, curling her legs under her lithe frame. "You're really quite handsome." She slapped a hand to her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. "Oh God." She stood up and backed away from the couch. "I have to go." With that, she turned and bolted from the room.

**************************************************************************************

Severus sat on the couch and stared into the dancing flames, mulling over what had just happened. Hermione had told him he was handsome! He rubbed his temples and tried to think of just one person who had told him he was handsome. Nobody came to mind. Just Hermione. Hermione. He smiled as he thought of her. He loved their nightly visits almost as much as he loved brewing potions. She was the first person who had ever been a match for his mind and he loved stretching her to the limits. He loved the way her eyes would light up when an answer came to her, loved watching her think. That brain certainly was something.

He sighed and stood slowly, stretching his aching back muscles. They had sat and talked for several hours without moving from the couch and his muscles were complaining quite loudly about the mistreatment. 'I'll have to take an ache-relief potion tonight.' he thought to himself as he changed out of his clothes for bed.

He lay under the covers in the dark for quite some time before he finally fell into dreaming. Dreaming of a woman with shining chestnut hair and gleaming cinnamon eyes, and who smelled like berries and vanilla.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Crookshanks, what am I going to do?" Hermione asked, pacing up and down the length of her bedroom. Crookshanks issued one long meow, head cocked as if saying, 'Don't worry, mum. It will be okay.' She reached over and scooped the large ginger ball of fur up into her arms and buried her face in his soft coat. "What if I ruined everything?"

A soft rapping at the door to her living room grabbed her attention away from the now protesting Crookshanks. She dropped him on the bed, then rushed out into the living room and over to the door. She pulled the door open and found herself staring into a pair of sparkling black eyes, belonging to none other than the object of all her worries.

"Severus," she muttered, grabbing the doorframe to steady her shaking legs. She swallowed hard. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh, wanted to let you know that there will be a staff meeting this afternoon at one o'clock," he replied.

"Oh," Hermione said, frowning. She had thought he might ease her fears about ruining their friendship. "Well, thank you. I will certainly be there."

He nodded curtly, then turned and swept out of the hospital wing, leaving a bewildered looking Hermione in his wake.

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"Something on your mind, Severus?"

Snape whirled around and looked directly into the smirking face of Remus Lupin. He was leaning casually on the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest.

"I fail to understand how that would be any of your business," Snape muttered, turning to walk away.

"Well you only have that look on your face when you leave the company of Miss Granger," Lupin pointed out, pushing away from the wall and intercepting Snape. "I want to know what is going on between the two of you."

"Why is that, Remus?" Snape asked, sneering at him. "Want her all to yourself?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Snape!" Remus snapped, glaring up at the taller man. "She's like a niece to me. I worry about her, especially when a man like you seems to have taken a liking to her."

"Did I ever tell you that I'd taken a liking to her?"

"Oh, come on man!" Remus exclaimed, shaking his head. "One only has to look at your face when she's around to see it spelled out clear as crystal!"

Snape looked down at the ground and sighed deeply.

"So what if I do feel something for her?" Snape asked, bringing his eyes up to meet Remus's clear blue. "Would it be so horrible?"

"It's not that, Severus," Remus said, smiling kindly at him. "It's just that Hermione isn't like other women. Not at all," he said, chuckling lightly, "She is smarter than Minerva McGonagall, braver than almost anyone else I know, and more beautiful than the most intoxicating veela."

"I know all this," Snape whispered, leaning back on the wall, "so why should a woman like that ever want to spend time with someone like me?"

"Because she is one of a kind," Remus said, reaching over and clapping a hand on Snape's shoulder, "and when I said that she was braver than almost anyone I knew, I wasn't including you. You are the bravest person I know."

Snape looked down into Remus's face, brow furrowed in confusion.

"I think you two would complete each other," Remus said, smiling. "Don't let her get away, Severus. She is far too precious to let go."

He squeezed Snape's shoulder than turned and swept down the hall, brown robes billowing behind him.

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"The students will be arriving in three days, everyone," Dumbledore announced, pacing up and down in front of the staff, "so we must do everything in our power to protect these children." He stopped and looked around the room, eyes locking with each individual before continuing. "We will be renewing all of the wards around the castle and grounds this afternoon, twice for each area. We will not take any chances."

"What about Hogsmeade visits, Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"The students will still be allowed to visit Hogsmeade," Dumbledore answered, nodding his head. "Hogsmeade is also warded so the children will be as safe there as they are here." He turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, I understand that you have renewed the stores for the hospital wing?"

"Yes sir," Hermione answered, nodding in confirmation. "Everything is well stocked."

"Good, good," Dumbledore muttered, scratching something on a piece of parchment. "I will be separating all of us into groups of two and assigning a specific area to each group. I will give each group a list of wards and you will place all of those wards around your area; twice through, don't forget!"

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"Are you getting used to being back here, Hermione?" McGonagall asked, waving her wand over the door to the Great Hall.

"Slowly," Hermione replied, grinning. "It was pretty weird at first, but I really can't think of any other place I would rather live and work."

"You know, Hermione," Minerva began, linking her arm with the younger girl's and starting down the hall, "I've called Hogwarts my home for almost fifty years and I still haven't tired of it. The people who I work with are as close to family as I have and I love all of them dearly." She turned and looked into Hermione's eyes. "You will come to feel the same way in time. We are a family here and will do anything in our power to protect our family members. Remember that."

"Oh, I will," Hermione said, "I'm pretty nervous about school starting."

"Don't be nervous, Hermione," Minerva said, chuckling. "You'll do a wonderful job! Just remember that Albus, myself, and everyone else has faith in your abilities."

"Thank you, Minerva," Hermione said, blushing lightly. "That helps a lot." She frowned down at her feet. "I guess the person I'm worried about the most is," she stopped and cleared her throat.

"Severus," Minerva whispered, her brow furrowing. "I know. We all worry about him."

"I'm so scared of seeing him for the first time after he has been summoned," Hermione told Minerva. "What kind of condition is he going to be in? And am I going to be able to help him? I don't think I'll be able to stand seeing him in pain."

Minerva turned and looked at Hermione, a strange expression on her face.

"You really care for him, don't you?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, looking down at her feet.

Minerva smiled kindly at her before continuing down the stairs to the front lawn.

"I was once a young woman myself, Hermione," Minerva began, a faraway look on her face, "and I know the look in your eyes. I see it on your face when he's around." She stopped for a few moments to place a ward on the front steps. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Hermione. He is a difficult man, but under his hard exterior lies a very wonderful human being. He is a treasure and you shouldn't let him slip away," she whispered, her eyes shining as if she were right on the edge of tears. "I made that mistake when I was your age and I have regretted my decision every day of my life since."

She looked off into the distance for a few moments before shaking her head and frowning at Hermione.

"We better get these wards finished up."

With that, she swept off onto the grounds, Hermione following with her head swimming with the afternoon's revelations.

**************************************************************************************

Hermione tilted her head back into the sun, soaking up the warmth and listening to the birdsong coming from within the Forbidden Forest. She breathed in the rich, clean air of the Scottish highlands and sighed. She was home. There was no other place she would ever feel as content as she did when she was roaming the halls of Hogwarts, smelling the leather bindings of books, delicious food, and the wonderful scent of flora wafting in from outdoors. She gave herself a mental shake, then looked back down at the letter she was composing to her parents.

****

Dear Mum and Dad,

Well, here it is, the weekend before school starts. I have prepared for the coming year the best I know how, but still I feel as though I'm floundering in quicksand. Have I gone in over my head? Would I have done a better job as a nameless, faceless doctor in some random wizarding hospital? I have asked myself these questions over and over again to no avail. I don't have an answer. The only answer I have for myself is this; I will do the best job I can and never stop taking care of these children. I was telling Harry before I came here that they are the future of our world. I am one of the keepers of the future. I feel privileged to have this responsibility and only hope that I won't let them down.

On a happier note, I truly feel at home here. My colleagues have made me feel very welcome and I still love wandering the halls. I feel at peace. Crookshanks is doing well, also. I think he is as happy to be back as I am.

I must go for now.

Sending you all my love,

Hermione

She rolled the parchment, then tied it to the leg of the waiting barn owl perched on the edge of the bench she was sitting on. She watched it fly off until it was only a speck on the horizon, but still she didn't move from her seat. She sat staring off into the sky until the first stars twinkled to life and the moon peeked over the horizon.

_Hermione felt a hand gently caress her bare back, the other coming up to her hair, fingers gently combing through her curls. She turned around and smiled as he pulled her close to his body, arms wrapping protectively around her waist. He leaned down slowly, dark eyes locked with her own, and slowly pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, moving her moist lips over his. She felt his tongue graze over her lower lip and moaned softly as she opened her mouth to him. Their tongues danced together, bodies pressed close to the other, both of them slowly becoming overwhelmed with desire. She pulled back and smiled mischievously as she slowly unbuttoned his white cotton shirt, then pushed it off of his strong shoulders with her tiny hands. She ran her hands over his chest, gently grazing each nipple with her fingernails before moving down his stomach and grazing gently under the waistband of his pants. He stopped her hands with his own, then brought both of them to his mouth and kissed her knuckles with his soft lips. He looked into her eyes and smiled._

"I love you so much, Hermione," he whispered, holding one hand close to his cheek.

She looked into his deep black eyes and ran her free hand gently through his shiny black hair.

"I love you, too," she whispered, "Severus."

Hermione sat up in her bed, panting from her dream. It had been so real! She had been dreaming of Severus every night since that fateful night in his chambers. He had no idea how he tormented her in her sleep. She glanced over at her bedside clock; 4:30am. She sighed and flopped back down on her pillows. Today the students would arrive, and with them would arrive all manners of injuries and illnesses for her to deal with. She tossed and turned for a few moments before throwing the covers back and sliding out of bed. She wasn't going to get anymore sleep today. 

She grabbed her red, terry-cloth bathrobe and padded into the bathroom, wincing when her bare feet came in contact with the cold wooden floor. She pulled her nightgown over her head, then reached into the shower to turn on the water. She gazed thoughtfully at the two showerheads, one spouting steaming water, the other simply hanging on the wall staring at her with its unseeing eyes. She shrugged, then reached in and turned on the other tap as well. She stepped into the warm spray and sighed in content. 'Why didn't everyone install two showerheads?' she thought as she reveled in the way her entire body was being sprayed at the same time. It felt wonderful, really. 

She looked over at the other side of the shower, surprisingly empty looking, and wondered what it would be like to share this wonderful thing with somebody. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the still-cool tiles on the wall, images of a dark man with eyes as black and deep as the deepest depths of the ocean forming in her mind. If she thought hard enough she could almost feel his hard muscles under her searching hands, could almost feel his breath on her face when he would whisper in her ear with that wonderfully silky, sensual voice that could drive her mad with desire if she listened long enough. She ran her hands down her arms, slick and slippery with soap and sighed. If only those were his hands running over her warm skin. 

She opened her eyes and pushed those thoughts out of her mind, focusing on the coming day. It was pointless to love a man who didn't love you back.

_Severus reached out and ran his hands through her silky curls, reveling in the way they slid effortlessly through his long fingers. She sighed and reached a hand up to cup his cheek, her thumb grazing gently over his lips before pulling him close and pressing her lips lightly to his mouth. He pulled her closer and moved his mouth slowly, sensually over her lips, tongue flicking out to run over her swollen lower lip in a silent invitation. She opened her mouth to him with a soft moan, allowing him entrance into her eager depths. Their tongues danced in perfect rhythm, slowly bringing the other closer and closer to madness. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, a small smile on her lips, cheeks flushed with desire._

"I love you so much, Severus," she whispered, running a finger along his jawline. Her cinnamon eyes sparkled in the candlelight, her chestnut hair shining as if it were lit from within.

He smiled back, then pulled her hand from his neck and kissed each finger before speaking.

"I love you, too," he whispered, pulling her close once again. "Hermione."

Severus bolted up in bed, panting as if he had just run from something. He looked around his chambers frantically, as if trying to find the source of his fright. When his visual search of the room found nothing, he sat back in his bed and pulled his fingers roughly through his hair. He had been dreaming about Hermione since the night in his chambers when she had told him he was handsome. She didn't even know it but she was tormenting his very soul each night while he slept. He glanced over at his bedside clock; 4:30 am. He wasn't going to get anymore sleep today.

He pulled himself out of bed and winced as his feet came in contact with the cold wooden floor. He made his way to the bathroom and turned on the shower, then slid his boxer shorts off of his hips and stepped into the steaming water. Nothing woke him up better than a hot shower first thing in the morning. He ran his hands over his soapy skin, imagining what it would feel like for Hermione's small hands to be doing the very same thing. His dreams frequently involved them in water of some kind, their skin sliding smoothly together, both of them flushed and panting with desire. 'What point is there to love a woman who doesn't love you back?' he thought, throwing the soap down in anger. He pushed all thoughts of Hermione out of his mind and continued preparing for the day.

**************************************************************************************

Hermione pushed open the doors to the Great Hall and made her way slowly to her place at the Head Table between Professors Lupin and Sprout.

"Good evening, Hermione," Remus said as he pulled her chair out for her.

"Good evening, Remus," she echoed. She sat down in her chair and scooted up to the table. She brought her eyes up to look around the Hall and locked onto a pair of dark, hooded eyes gazing at her from where he had just come through the doors. Severus stood there in his trademark black robes, black button-down shirt, and well-fit black trousers. To Hermione's surprise, however, his hair was still as clean as it had been over the summer. She smiled approvingly and nodded her head in greeting. He nodded back and she watched as the ghost of a smile crossed his face. He strode toward the table and took his seat next to Dumbledore, chair scraping over the dark wooden floor as he pulled it close to the table.

"Ah, Severus!" Dumbledore exclaimed, slapping him jovially on the back. "You're looking very healthy! What made you decide to change?" He smiled knowingly at Severus, one eyebrow quirked mischievously. Severus scowled at him and shook his head.

"Albus, I'm not even going to reply to your question since it seems as if you already have an answer," Severus muttered running a hand self-consciously down the front of his robes. Dumbledore laughed and leaned over toward Severus.

"Oh Severus," he began, chuckling approvingly, "I don't blame you for your taste." He glanced down the table to where Hermione was chatting animatedly with Professor Sprout. "She really is quite beautiful. And a good match for your mind to boot!" He patted Snape's hand softly. "Don't let her get away, Severus."

"I don't want to, Albus," Snape whispered, looking over into Dumbledore's sparkling blue eyes. "But how can I let her get away when I don't even have her in the first place?"

"Severus, one can always let the good things get away," Dumbledore said, frowning thoughtfully. "Especially if one doesn't even try to make them their own. That is the very worst way to lose something special." He turned in his seat to face Snape. "Imagine how wonderful it would be to go through the rest of your life with someone extraordinary by your side. Someone you can share your very soul with, Severus. Now imagine that you had never told her how you felt. Imagine seeing her every day with another man." Dumbledore paused, watching Snape's face darken at his words. "Do you want to see that, Severus? Do you want to take that chance?"

Snape clenched his fists, images of Hermione on another man's arm, sharing kisses and secrets with, flashing through his mind.

"No, Albus," he replied, closing his eyes. "I never want to see that."

"Then don't let it happen!" Dumbledore whispered fiercely, his hand reaching out to grasp Snape's hand with surprising strength. "I only want to see you happy, Severus. You are the closest thing I have to a son and I care about you deeply."

Snape's head snapped up at Dumbledore's words, a surprising feeling of warmth rushing to his heart.

"Thank you, Albus," Snape whispered, squeezing Dumbledore's hands with his own. He could feel the prick of tears behind his closed lids. He looked away and swallowed hard, not willing to meet Dumbledore's eyes with his own. He was spared any humiliation, however, when the doors to the Great Hall banged open and a throng of students pressed in, filling the hall with loud chatter and the scraping of wooden benches on the floor as they all took their seats at their respective tables.

Hermione watched as the House tables slowly filled until only the very front of each table was left vacant. She felt a familiar rush of butterflies in her stomach as she remembered her own Sorting. Strong as ever was the feeling that the Sorting Hat would realize that there had been a mistake and she didn't belong there with all the other young witches and wizards. After all, she was a pure muggle-born. Then, when the Hat had been placed on her head, it had shouted out 'Gryffindor!' and Hermione had felt the tension leave her as quickly as it had come. She remembered well the feeling of euphoria as she had joined her House table and realized in her heart that she really did belong.

She was pulled out of her reminiscing as the doors once again banged open and Professor McGonagall strode in, two long lines of first year students following behind. Hermione smiled at the looks of horror and amazement on their faces, wondering if she had looked as scared when she first walked into the hall.

"You looked just like that on your first day," Professor Sprout whispered in her ear, making Hermione wonder if everyone here could read minds. She shook her head, then watched as Professor McGonagall went through the familiar steps of the Sorting Ceremony.

She clapped politely as each student was placed. It started with Adams, Anastasia being placed in Slytherin, and ended with Winchester, Madison being placed in Hufflepuff.

Dumbledore stood and beamed down at the throng of students, each of them gazing up at him eagerly.

"Welcome to a new year!" he announced, opening his arms wide. "I am very pleased to see so many new faces joining us this year. I'm sure you will all be wonderful witches and wizards." He turned to Hermione and nodded slightly. She stood and waited for the introduction. "I would like to introduce our new medi-witch, Hermione Granger!" There was polite applause all around, and much louder applause coming from the Gryffindor table. There were even a few wolf whistles and catcalls coming from some of the older boys. She blushed deeply in embarrassment and glanced down the table at Severus. He was grinning mischievously at her, shoulders shaking in silent laughter. She glared at him, then smiled widely down at the students, nodded her head in acknowledgement, and then took her seat once again.

She looked down the table at Severus. He was still laughing.

"You think that's funny?" she mouthed, face still burning in embarrassment.

He nodded his head once, then turned back to the students, leaving Hermione seething at him from the other end of the table.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Welcome Feast lasted far too long in Hermione's opinion, she thought as she pushed her chair back from the table and stood, stretching her arms over head to relieve the tension that had built up during the meal. She turned in a circle, looking for the man who had caused all of the tension to build up in the first place. He was nowhere to be found.

"Slippery eel," Hermione whispered, narrowing her eyes menacingly. She was going to let him have it for making fun of her at the beginning of the feast.

"You look capable of murder, Hermione," Remus mused, coming up to her and smiling down into her glaring face. "Need I ask who was the cause of your rage?" He twinkled down at her, mischief pouring out of his very face.

Hermione glared at him for a moment before a smile finally cracked through the mask of anger, a chuckle escaping her throat.

"Oh, Remus," Hermione began, reaching up and touching his cheek with the back of her hand. "Remind me to never keep a secret from you."

He took the hand that was resting on his cheek and pulled it around in front of his lips.

"You couldn't if you tried, my dear," he said, planting a small kiss on her knuckles.

They laughed together companionably, neither of them noticing the pair of dark, angry eyes watching them from the other side of the room.

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Snape tore through the halls to the dungeons, cloak billowing behind him, glaring daggers at any student who dared meet his eyes. He veritably flew up the stairs to his quarters, pulled his wand out and literally blasted his door open.

"Dammit!" he bellowed, pulling his wand back out. "Reparo!" The door pulled itself back together and rearranged itself on the hinges, slamming firmly behind him. 

'What was I thinking?' he asked himself over and over again. Of course Remus had only been playing with him when he told him that he and Hermione would be great together! Why did he allow himself that fleeting instant of happiness at the other man's words? He knew better than that. No woman would ever, in her right mind, want to be with him. He could see it on her face, when she touched Remus's cheek, that she loved him. Loved Remus in a way she would never love him.

He shrugged out of his robes, then pulled open a cupboard nearly hidden in the wall. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a glass, then sat down on his sofa, all ready for a night of pure drunkenness.

*********************************************************************************************______________________________________________________________________________  


"Remus, did you see where Severus went?" Hermione asked, pulling her hand away from him. "I have a bone to pick with him."

"Ah, I'd hate to be in his shoes," Remus said, laughing merrily. "I believe he went straight to his rooms."

"Really," she muttered, glaring. "Good night Remus."

"Good night, Hermione," he said, watching her turn on her heel and stride purposefully toward the doors out of the Great Hall. "I feel sorry for that man."

He shook his head, then turned and made his way out a side door to his rooms.

*********************************************************************************************______________________________________________________________________________  


"Severus?" Hermione called, rapping lightly on the door to his chambers. "Severus, can I come in?"

She pressed her ear to the door and listened for some sign that he was there. She heard something heavy thunk onto the floor, a tinkling of glass, then footsteps coming toward the door. She stepped back and straightened her robes, suddenly a little nervous. The door swung open. He stood with one arm propped up on the doorframe, hair hanging loose of the ponytail, shirt untucked and unbuttoned about halfway down. Something wasn't right.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, taking a step closer to him. He chuckled lightly.

"Why do you care?" he asked, turning around and sauntering back into his rooms. He flopped gracelessly down on the couch and reached over to the end table for the glass that was sitting on it. He picked it up and took a healthy swig before turning to her. "Are you still here?"

Hermione strode through the door and slammed it behind her, earning a very noticeable jump on behalf of Snape.

"You're drunk," she declared, glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

"Ten points to Gryffindor!" he exclaimed, words slurred slightly. "Whenever did you become so observant, Miss Granger?"

"May I ask what has gotten into you?" she asked, coming to stand in front of him.

"Nothing that you would bother noticing," he muttered, taking another swig from his glass. "Why are you here, anyway? Don't you have some cuddling to do with your dear, sweet, Remus?"

"What?!" she exclaimed, eyebrows shooting up. "Whatever makes you think that?" She sat down on the floor in front of him and looked up into his face, each angle bathed in shadows from the crackling fire.

"I saw that sweet little scene in the Great Hall," he said, turning to fill his glass again.

"Accio glass!" Hermione called. The glass went flying out of Snape's hand and into Hermione's. She smirked triumphantly at him. "You were saying?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, then leaned back into the cushions.

"That darling little scene in the Great Hall, Miss Granger," he repeated, glaring maliciously down at her. "I'm surprised you're not in his rooms right now, shagging like hormonal teenagers."

Hermione stared at him, mouth hanging open slightly. He grinned triumphantly at her, thinking he had hit her where it would hurt most. Instead—

"You thought...Remus and I..."she sputtered, face reddening. She looked up at him for a moment longer, then burst out laughing. She threw her head back, tears leaking down her face. "Oh God, Severus!"

He simply looked at her, face a mask of confusion.

"Something amusing?" he asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest and frowning down at her. She finally composed herself, then wiped her cheeks with the heels of her hands.

"Oh, Severus," she began, still chuckling. "I could never shag Remus, as you so poetically put it. He's too much like family for me to..." she stopped and shook her head in disgust. "That is just too gross, Severus."

"Oh," he said, at a total loss for words, which never happened to him. He could feel his cheeks burning. "Accio glass!" The tumbler in Hermione's hand came flying back at him and he caught it with one hand, never mind that he was drunker than a sailor. He took a long drink, then looked away from her. "I trust you came here for a reason?"

"Oh yes," Hermione said, eyes narrowing dangerously. "There was that little matter of you making fun of me at the Welcome Feast tonight." She stood up and glared down at him, hands planted firmly on her hips. "Care to explain?"

"What is there to explain?" he asked, smirking up at her, eyes sparkling in the firelight. "Albus simply provided the perfect opportunity, that's all. You didn't expect me to pass it up, now did you?"

She sighed, then plopped down beside him on the couch.

"What else could I expect from you?" she asked, reaching over to pry the glass from his long fingers. She threw her head back and swallowed what was left in one drink. "Not bad," she commented, moving to hand the glass back to him. Her eyes locked onto the slightest glimpse of black peeking out from under his sleeve. The Dark Mark. It was coming back. She shook her head and handed the glass to him.

He was staring at her with wide eyes.

"What?" she asked, laughing lightly.

"Have you always been a whiskey drinker, Miss Granger?" he asked, taking the glass and filling it to the brim again.

"Dammit, Severus, I thought we had already been through this!" she exclaimed, turning to him. "Call me Hermione! You do know how to say Hermione, don't you?"

"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione," he taunted childishly.

She grabbed the glass out of his hand and glared at him.

"Oh, very cute," she said, taking a long drink of the amber liquid. "I thought you were more mature than your students."

"I'm drunk, Hermione," he said, yanking the glass back from her and taking a drink. "I can be as childish as I want to." He threw back the rest of the drink, then set the glass on the table with an audible clunk.

"It's probably not a good idea for you to get drunk before the first day of classes," Hermione pointed out, settling right back into the disapproving prefect mode. "You don't want to go to class with a hangover."

"Do you honestly think I don't keep a supply of hangover relief potion?" he asked, shaking his head. "You do remember what class I teach, don't you?"

"Oh, shut up!" Hermione exclaimed, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'm the doctor here, not you! I'm supposed to scold you for things like this."

"Fine, fine," he muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "You're the doctor, I'm the mindless patient." He looked over at her from hooded lids, a small smirk playing at his mouth, then leaned toward her slightly. "So what do you recommend, Dr. Granger?" His voice had dropped noticeably, the silk turned on full power. She shivered pleasantly as he spoke, then turned her head to find herself staring into the deep recesses of his glittering black eyes.

"You need to get some sleep," Hermione said, shaking her head to clear her foggy brain. She jumped up from the couch and turned her back to him, head hanging slightly. "I should be going."

He stood and put a hand on her shoulder, turning her so that she was forced to look at him directly.

'God he's tall,' Hermione thought, turning her face up to meet his eyes.

"Are you nervous about your first day?" he asked, the hand on her shoulder lightly stroking the thin fabric of her robe.

She could only nod, his nearness affecting her too much to speak.

"You'll do fine," he said, bringing a hand up to stroke her cheek.

She shivered, her eyes closing involuntarily. She pulled back and cleared her throat, willing herself not to become putty in his hands, simply from that light of a touch.

"Thank you, Severus," she said, taking a few steps back from him. A small smirk formed on his lips. "You should take that potion now, so that, um, you'll feel okay tomorrow." She lifted a hand and waved lamely. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Hermione," he whispered, watching her turn and shakily open the door, and then step outside.

*********************************************************************************************  


Hermione closed the door behind her then leaned up against it, chest rising and falling rapidly as she panted for breath. What had just happened? She touched a hand to her cheek, skin still tingling where he had touched her. Just that light touch nearly made her lose her composure entirely; until she reminded herself that he was drunk. He probably didn't mean any of it. She felt a slight coldness settle in her heart as she imagined how he would feel about her tomorrow when he wasn't drunk. He would loathe what he had done and push her away as easily as the cold was pushed away by a warm fire. But she was sure that she saw something in his eyes. Some hint of his desire for her.

She pushed herself away from the door, wrapped her arms protectively around her body, then strode resolutely down the stairs to her quarters. He would never love her. Not the way she loved him.

*********************************************************************************************  


"Miss Granger!" Dumbledore called, tapping lightly on the door to the hospital wing.

She looked up from the tiny blond girl she had been treating and called for him to enter.

"Ah, I see Miss Wilson is doing much better," he declared, twinkling kindly down at the girl lying in the hospital bed. She smiled timidly up at him. "That was a spectacular catch this morning, Jennifer." He looked over at Hermione. "I think Miss Wilson will one day catch Harry Potter's record, Hermione."

"Really?" Hermione asked, smiling down at the girl. "Is this true, Jennifer?"

"I don't know about that," she said, blushing to the roots of her short, bouncy hair.

"Oh no, it's true," Dumbledore said, nodding his head. "She is a credit to Gryffindor House. I'm sure the Quidditch Cup will have their name on it, with Miss Wilson's help, of course."

Hermione stifled back the chuckle threatening to bubble forth as she watched the girl's face change from a light pink to deep crimson in an instant.

"Albus, you're embarrassing the poor girl," Hermione scolded, winking down at her. "Jennifer, I want you to stay here overnight so that I can keep an eye on that leg."

"Oh, do I have to, Miss Granger?" she asked, her brow furrowing in disappointment.

"I'm afraid so, Jennifer," Hermione said, patting the girl's hand reassuringly. "Your friends can come visit, though, for a little while."

"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, her blue eyes lighting up at Hermione's words. "Can I send for them now?"

"Of course, dear," Hermione said, summoning the jar of floo powder. She threw a pinch into the fireplace. "Minerva?"

"Yes, Hermione," she answered, her head bobbing in the flames.

"Could you please send Victoria Robins and Alaina Aberforth down to the hospital wing?"

"Of course," Minerva answered, smiling over Hermione's shoulder. "Spectacular catch today, Miss Wilson!"

"Thank you, Professor," Jennifer said, blushing once again.

"I will send them right down," she said, her head disappearing from the flames.

"There you go, now, Jennifer," Hermione said, tucking the blankets in around the girl's tiny frame. She turned back to Dumbledore. "Did you need me for something, Albus?"

"Yes," he replied, following her into her brightly-lit office. He took a seat in one of the overstuffed armchairs she had positioned in front of her desk and folded his hands in his lap. "I don't know if you have noticed, but Severus' mark is coming back."

Hermione looked up from the paperwork she was filling out and frowned.

"Yes," she confirmed, sighing heavily. "I saw it the night of the Welcome Feast." She put the quill down on the desk and leaned her head into her hands, elbows resting on the edge of the desk. "What does this mean, Albus?"

"He will be summoned any day now," Dumbledore said, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "In fact, I'm surprised Voldemort has waited even a week." He looked back up at her and narrowed his eyes. "I wanted to warn you of what you will see when he comes back from the Summoning."

Hermione hastily pulled out a piece of parchment and readied her quill.

"Go on," she whispered.

"Voldemort always likes to make an example of his servants, especially Severus," he began, frowning thoughtfully. "I'm afraid he may suspect something." He stared off into space for a moment before shaking his head and turning back to Hermione. "You can expect Severus to have been subjected to the Cruciatus. You know the after-effects, correct?"

"Severe shaking, pain when anything touches the skin, seizures, migraines," Hermione rattled off automatically.

"Yes," he said, nodding his head slowly. "You can also expect trauma from physical beatings. Cuts and bruises, sometimes even broken bones."

Hermione drew in a shaky breath and bent over the parchment, taking notes on what Dumbledore was saying, along with possible cures and relief for Severus when the time came. She stopped writing and slammed the quill down on the table.

"Why?" she whispered severely, staring accusingly across the desk. "Why must he do this? Why can't somebody else do it? He doesn't deserve this pain!" Her voice steadily increased until she was yelling straight into Dumbledore's face. "How can you sit there and let this happen to him!"

He smiled kindly at her and reached over to pat her hand.

"Hermione, there is nothing I would rather do than go in Severus' place," he whispered. "I hate sending him to these gatherings but there is no one else who can go and not be caught." He leaned back in the chair and frowned. "I love him like a son, Hermione. I know he doesn't deserve that pain, but the best I can do is be there for him and try to relieve his pain. There is nothing I would rather do than sit back and watch Severus live his life without having to deal with all of this." He leaned back toward her and took both of her hands in his. "Please try to understand, Hermione. The best you and I can do is be there for him when he needs us. And he does need you, Hermione."

She snapped her eyes up to meet his, totally oblivious to the tears leaking down her face.

"He does?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

"Yes, he does," he replied, reaching up to wipe a tear from her cheek. "He is just afraid to let you know that he needs anyone." He tipped her chin up so that she would meet his eyes. "We need you to be there for him, Hermione." He stood up and turned to the door, then turned back. "I know you can do it."

"Thank you, Albus," she said, forcing a smile to her face. And then, on impulse, she stood, rushed over to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He patted her back lightly, smiling into her hair.

"Good girl," he muttered, pulling back to smile down at her. "I'll leave you to your patients now."

She watched him breeze out the door, nodding politely to the three girls huddled on one of the beds as he walked by. She wiped her face dry, then turned back to her desk. The parchment she had been using was gone. She rushed over and went through everything on the desk, but still couldn't find it. She sat down in the chair and frowned. What could have happened to it?

Albus Dumbledore strode slowly down the hall, glancing around him at the portraits on the wall. A couple of them waved merrily as he passed. He nodded to each in turn, then descended the steps to the Great Hall, stopping only to point his wand at a piece of parchment crumpled in his hand and reduce it to ash in a moment. He turned and looked back up the stairs to the closed door of the hospital wing. Hermione didn't know what she was capable of. She didn't need those notes to help Severus any more than Minerva needed a book to perform transfiguration. She would realize soon enough that when someone you love is in trouble, the correct answers will come to you without thinking.

He shook his head and sighed heavily. Severus and Hermione needed each other so much; they just hadn't realized it yet. He hoped, for their own sakes that they would figure it out soon. They just might save each other.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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"Hermione!" 

A voice was calling to her...a voice so far away. She turned in a circle, robes swirling around her legs, searching desperately for the voice.

"Hello?" she called, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify the sound. "Hello, is someone there?"

"Hermione, help me!"

There was that voice again. She turned in the direction it had come from; right down a dark, tree-lined lane in a thickly wooded forest. She took off down the lane, searching from side to side for the person calling, overhanging branches grabbing and tearing at her hair.

"Where are you!" she called, stopping and tearing her hands through her wild hair.

"Down here!" the voice called, "near the river!"

She looked to her left, down a steep hill to the swirling brown water. She grabbed a handful of her robes and started down the slope, slipping on the muddy ground, nearly tripping all the way down when her foot caught in an unearthed tree root. When she finally reached the bottom she looked up and gasped in shock. A man was lying near the bank; blood soaked right through his tattered robe, black hair sticky with it.

"Severus!" she screamed, rushing over to his side. She kneeled down beside him and gingerly rolled him to his back. His eyes were glazed over with pain and his brow was knotted. "Severus, what happened?"

He reached up to cup her chin and smiled weakly at her.

"Voldemort," he whispered, his voice suddenly leaving him. "He found out about me."

"Oh, God," Hermione sobbed, reaching up to cup the hand holding her chin. She looked down at his body and noticed a horrible, gaping wound in the left side of his chest. The blood drained from her face and a terrible ringing started in her ears. She couldn't save him. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew. He was leaving her. 

"You can't save me now, Hermione," he whispered, pulling her head down to his. Their lips met in the lightest kiss, then Hermione felt herself being propelled backward away from him. "I love you!" he called, reaching a hand out to her.

"Severus!" she called, fighting desperately against the force pulling her away. "No! Severus!"

********************************************************************

"Severus!"

Hermione sat up in bed, having woken herself with her own screaming. She panted hard, reaching up to wipe the sweat from her brow, then fell back on the pillows. That was the worst dream yet. She had never dreamed of Severus after a Summoning before, but after the day's conversation with Dumbledore it was the only thing that had run through her mind. She was so scared for him. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't fair. Why did he have to be put through that kind of pain? She would do anything to keep him from it.

She sat back up, swung out of bed, and padded into the living room. She sat down in a windowseat and gazed out the window down toward his living quarters. She had discovered, after her first week at the school, the she could see the door to his office and the window to his quarters from her living room window, and spent many nights simply gazing down, searching for any sign that he may be looking up at her as well. A dim light was flickering in a window and Hermione knew that he was awake, too. She watched as a shadow passed behind the window, then saw his familiar form exit through the low door in the wall. She pressed a hand to the window, imagining that he was coming to see her. Instead, he hurried down the path and toward the gate to Hogsmeade, where he promptly disappeared. He had disapparated. He was gone.

Her heart started pounding. Had he been summoned? She ran to her bedroom, threw her bathrobe on over her pajamas, slipped her feet into a pair of slippers, then practically flew out of the hospital wing and up to Dumbledore's office.

"Marshmallow creame!" she yelled, then watched as the gargoyle sprang aside at her shout. She didn't wait for the stairs to carry her up, simply ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She pounded on the door to his office. "Albus! Albus are you there?"

The door swung open and she stopped in surprise at Dumbledore sitting placidly at his desk. He motioned her inside, then waved a hand at the door. It slammed shut.

"It's happened, hasn't it?" she whispered, wrapping her arms protectively around her waist. "He's been summoned."

He didn't say a word, simply pressed his lips tightly together and closed his eyes, nodding slightly.

She fell into one of the chairs before his desk and cradled her head in her hands, tears leaking between her fingers. She took a deep breath and looked up at the man sitting behind the desk.

"What do we do?" she asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

He looked up at her, eyes drooping with tension and fatigue.

"We wait."

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Severus lay on the hard ground, panting for breath that simply wouldn't come to him. He rolled to his back and forced himself to a sitting position, head pounding dangerously with the effort, then pulled his wand out of his pocket. He spoke several words with a dry, scratchy voice, watched as red sparks flew out of the tip and rocketed across the sky toward the castle, then collapsed back onto the ground.

"Hermione," he whispered, eyes rolling back in his head. He fainted.

************************************************************************

Hermione pulled an oversized Chudley Cannons sweatshirt over her head then gathered her thick hair up into a haphazard ponytail. Dumbledore had convinced her to go back to her rooms to wait for Severus to return after several minutes of her crying and begging him to tell her where he went. So, here she was, showered and dressed at close to three o'clock in the morning. She paced dejectedly around her rooms for close to fifteen minutes before resuming her place at the window, staring out at the stars. She was taking her time picking out constellations when she saw it. A stream of red sparks was arcing across the sky, headed right for her window. She scrambled out of the seat and backed away from the window, then watched in wonderment as the window burst open and the sparks shot right into her rooms. She clutched at her pounding chest as two words formed in front of her; Hogsmeade Gates. She grabbed her wand from the coffee table, then raced out of the rooms and out of the castle as fast as she could down the path, the gates never seeming to get any closer. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the gate loomed closer and she saw a black, crumpled figure lying outside the gates. Severus. She swallowed back a sob, then raced over to his side.

He was lying flat on his back, wand lying beside his outstretched hand, chest rising and falling weakly. He was clearly struggling to breathe. Strands of his hair were flapping weakly in the wind and across his pale, bruised face. A long gash ran from his right eyebrow, all the way down to his jaw, and his left arm was bent at a strange angle. 

She covered her mouth with one hand to stifle the sobs welling up inside and simply stared down at him for a moment. Finally, she composed herself enough to stand and conjure a stretcher for him. She held her wand out in front of her and made her way up to the castle, all the time praying for strength to help him, the man she loved.

************************************************************************

After the long journey back to the castle and up to the hospital wing, Hermione allowed herself a moment to regroup. Severus was lying on one of the beds, curtains drawn around him, still dressed in his torn robes. She stared down at him, reaching out one shaking hand to brush the hair away from his face. His brow furrowed slightly at her touch and she yanked her hand back, remembering what Dumbledore had told her. He had probably been subjected to the Cruciatus. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to be strong. With one shake of the head, she frowned in determination, whipped out her wand, and set to work. 

The first thing she had to do was remove his clothes. She sighed. 'No time to be squeamish, Herm,' she thought. The clothes whirled off of his prone body, exposing the full extent of his wounds to her trained eye. She gasped. From his chest on down, bruises riddled his body, marring his perfect, smooth white skin. Strong discoloration of the ribs told her why he was having trouble breathing. She touched her wand to the area and watched as the tip pulsed deep blue once, twice, then again. 

"Three broken ribs," she muttered, waving her wand over the area and speaking the words to set the breaks. He visibly relaxed as the bones slipped back into place, then took a long, deep breath. 

She focused on the gash running from his eyebrow to his jaw next, pouring a cleansing potion on the cut, then a thick, glutinous cream over that. The skin fizzed, then pulled closed, sealing the cut and leaving a light, pink line down his face that would heal with time. Next came his left arm. It was bent at an odd angle between the elbow and the wrist, skin poking up where one of the bones had broken. She performed the same spell on the arm as she had on his ribs, then remembered his most serious injury. The Cruciatus Curse. She ran her wand over his body, searching for signs of the curse. Her wand began to vibrate violently and glowed a violent red. Just as she thought. The Cruciatus had been performed. She murmured soft words of healing as she ran the tip of her wand over his face and neck, down each arm, over his torso, then down each leg. He seemed to deflate when she finally finished and sat back on a chair beside the bed. It was a normal reaction to reversing the Cruciatus. She raked her eyes over his body, trying to decide where to go next when he stirred. She hastily pulled a blanket over his body and watched as his head turned from side to side.

"Severus?" she whispered, tentatively reaching out to touch his hair. His eyes flew open and he pulled back violently with a loud hiss. She yanked her hand away and took a step back. He looked around for a few moments before his eyes finally locked with her own. They stayed like that for several moments before recognition sparked within the depths of his eyes.

"Hermione," he croaked, closing his eyes. He reached over and grasped at his left forearm. Hermione's eyes followed his hand. The Dark Mark was gone for now. But it would come back.

She stepped closer to him and gazed down at his face.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, willing him to open his eyes and look at her. He did.

"I've been better," he answered, smiling lightly up at her. His face became serious again. "Thank you, Hermione. I wasn't sure if you would get my message."

"I got it," Hermione whispered, reaching a hand out to touch his cheek. He leaned into her caress and sighed, eyes closing involuntarily. She sniffed loudly, tears forming in her eyes. His eyes flew open and he frowned up at her.

"Oh, Hermione," he whispered, reaching up to wipe a tear from her cheek. "Please don't cry." He pulled her down to a sitting position next to him on the bed and grasped one of her hands with his own. "Hermione, I'm okay, please." He pulled her chin around and she opened her eyes, more tears running down her face with the action. "Hermione, I'm okay because of you. You did this." She hiccuped as she sobbed, shoulders shaking involuntarily. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her down into a tight embrace, running his hands gently over her back as she cried. "Come, now," he whispered into her hair, "I'm fine."

She pulled back and wiped her face with the back of her arm.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking away from him in embarrassment. "I was just so scared." She glanced back over at him from the corner of her eye. "I was afraid I was going to lose you."

She stood and rushed out of the curtained-off area, leaving Severus to stare after her, his blood pounding in his ears. She couldn't possibly mean what he dared hope she meant. Could she? He leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes, fighting back the pain shooting through his body. He was just slipping off to sleep when he heard the curtains part and soft footsteps approach the bed.

"Drink this," Hermione whispered, holding a beaker of purple potion in front of her. Dreamless Sleep Potion. He held his hands around hers, then tipped the cup to his lips and drank down the potion. She pulled one hand away to sit the cup on the bedside table, then took both of his hands in her own and sat down beside him on the bed. He gazed up at her serenely for a moment, smiled lightly, then slipped off into a deep sleep.

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Severus awoke to the sound of hushed voices coming in through the curtains, two of them belonging to the two people he cared about most in the world. He pulled himself gingerly to a sitting position, gritting his teeth together at the pain in his ribs. He pulled his shirt up and looked down at the angry red mark marring his skin where Hermione had healed the broken ribs. He let the shirt drop back down and leaned his head back against the wall. Just then, the curtains were thrown open and a familiar, white head poked in.

"Severus!"

"Good morning, Albus," he croaked, watching the old wizard amble in and stand beside the bed.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he said, reaching a hand out to touch Severus' forehead. "I was so worried."

"I know," Snape said, smiling lightly at the Headmaster. "But I'm okay."

"Yes," Dumbledore said, pulling his hand back. "And we have Miss Granger to thank for that." He turned and smiled at someone outside the curtains. "Come in, Hermione. Your patient is awake."

She reached a hand around to pull back the curtain a bit more, then stepped shyly into the closed-off area. She was dressed in a deep red sweater and gray slacks, bringing out the pink of her cheeks and making her look lit up from the inside. She looked beautiful. 

"Good morning, Severus," she murmured, stepping over to his side and reaching a hand out to touch his cheek. "How are you feeling?"

He swallowed, willing himself to speak.

"Fine," he whispered, breathing deeply the scent of her. Berries and vanilla again. He had to find out what she washed her hair with. It was magnificent. He glanced over at her and found her staring at him with a questioning expression on her face. "What?" he asked, looking from her to Dumbledore and back again.

Dumbledore smiled at him and covered his mouth to bite back a chuckle.

"I was asking if you felt any pain anywhere," Hermione repeated, raising one delicate eyebrow at him. She put her hands on her hips and frowned at him. "Well?"

"Don't be so testy," he snapped, glaring up at her. "You're the nurse, can't you figure it out?"

"Severus, please," she sighed, dropping her hands to her sides. "I can't help you if you won't help me."

"Oh, all right," he said, turning his head away. "My ribs hurt," he mumbled, almost incoherently.

"Your what hurts?" Hermione asked, eyes glinting with mischief. She loved watching him squirm.

He snapped his eyes up at her and narrowed his eyes.

"My. Ribs. Hurt," he said, enunciating each word clearly, as if he were talking to a child. He could see that she was enjoying this.

"Oh, okay," she said, chuckling lightly. "I'll be right back with something for you." 

She turned and strode out of the enclosure, sliding the curtains closed behind her.

Severus glared at the closed curtains until Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly, snapping him out of his sulking. He turned guiltily toward the headmaster and found a huge grin on his face, eyes twinkling madly.

"What's so funny?" Snape asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, Severus," Dumbledore began, a small laugh escaping his throat. "Don't be so cantankerous. She's only trying to help you."

"By making fun of me?" Snape asked, one eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Stop taking everything so seriously," Dumbledore said, standing to leave. "A little humor might do you good. Do you know what the muggles say about laugher, Severus?"

"What?"

"Laughter is the best medicine," he answered, tapping the side of his nose. "Very sound advice. I'll come see you later."

With that, he turned in a swirling of maroon robes and swept out of the enclosure.

"Here we go," Hermione announced, slipping in between the curtains. She strode over to him with a large bowl in her hands full of a thick white cream. She sat down on the bed next to him. "Lie back," she instructed, pulling the blankets away from him.

He slid down in the bed and lay back on the pillows. She reached a hand over and began unbuttoning his pajama top, her hands shaking slightly on the first button. She cleared her throat, steadied her hands, and moved down the row of buttons until his chest and stomach were exposed to her, along with the angry red spot on his ribs. She dipped her fingers into the white cream and carefully dabbed it onto the wound.

Severus gasped as the first drop touched his skin, but as Hermione began carefully massaging it in with her soft fingers, he relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the contact. Her hair was hanging over her eyes and her face was slightly flushed. The pain in his ribs soon dissipated, but she didn't stop there. Soon she was rubbing the cream over all of his exposed skin and he closed his eyes at the wonderful sensations coursing through him. Her soft, warm hands smoothed up his chest, then around and back down the sides, over his stomach and below his belly button. He gasped aloud at that, unable to control the desire beginning to form for her, especially in his groin. His eyes snapped open and he sat up quickly, startling her back off the bed.

"I think that's enough," he said in a strangely choked voice. "I feel much better now."

"Oh, okay," she stammered, blushing. "Do you need me to do this anywhere else?"

Of course he did, he thought. But you didn't ask your nurse to jerk you off, now, did you?

"No, thank you," he answered, pulling his shirt closed and buttoning it quickly. He pulled the blankets up around him and closed his eyes, willing his erection to go away before he lost control and just bent her over the bed. 

"Would you like something to eat?" she asked, wiping her hands on a white towel next to the bed. "I can have Jennifer bring you something."

"Who?" he asked, his eyes snapping open.

"Jennifer Wilson," she answered, smiling. "Gryffindor, 6th year, Seeker."

"Oh, right," he said, sneering. "The little tiny girl who knows everything." He chuckled lightly. "She is an exact duplicate of you when you were in my class. Always bobbing up and down in her seat with her hand waving in the air constantly."

Hermione smiled wider and lifted her chin.

"That's why I like her," Hermione said. "She came to me at the beginning of term and asked if she could be my assistant." She shrugged and turned away. "But, if you don't want anything,"

"Black coffee and toast," he said, stopping her in her tracks. "Dry toast, very little butter."

"Black coffee and dry toast?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow. "Typical." 

She turned on her heel and swept out of the room, leaving Severus staring after her with a murderous expression on his face.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Here you are, professor," a voice announced from outside the curtains. 

Severus sat up in bed and watched as a short girl with blond, bobbed hair and Hogwarts School robes parted the curtains with a tray held in front of her. She timidly approached the bed and placed the tray on the bedside table, her hands shaking as the tray hit the table. Coffee sloshed over the side of the cup and pooled around the base of the mug.

"Careful you foolish girl!" Severus snapped, making the girl flinch back, her cheeks white with shock.

"I, I'm sorry," she stammered, taking another step back from the bed.

"Don't offer your apologies!" he exclaimed, picking up a piece of the toast. "If you would just be less careless you wouldn't have to worry about it!"

She simply stood there, staring at him with wide blue eyes, wringing her hands in front of her.

"Well, what are you still doing here?" he bellowed, waving the piece of toast irritably at her. "Please leave me in peace!"

She turned on her heel and flew out of the room, curtains waving dangerously as she left the enclosure.

"Stupid girl," Severus muttered, taking a bite of the toast and savoring the flavor in his long-deprived mouth. 

*****************************************

Hermione looked up from her desk as an ashen-faced Jennifer Wilson flew past the door and out into the hall. 

"What in the world?" she asked, standing up and racing after the girl. She caught up with her just down the hall.

"Jennifer!" Hermione called, skidding to a halt in front of the girl. "What's wrong?"

Jennifer turned her face up to Hermione's, eyes wide, lower lip trembling slightly. She gulped a few times before finding her voice.

"P...P...Professor Snape," she stuttered, twisting the fabric of her robes in front of her.

"What about Professor Snape?" Hermione demanded, narrowing her eyes.

"He yelled at me because I accidentally spilled some of his coffee," Jennifer replied. "I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but,"

"But nothing!" Hermione exclaimed, reaching over to put an arm around the girl's slender shoulders. "Don't you worry about him." She steered the girl toward the stairs and stopped at the edge. "Go on now. I'll take care of him."

Jennifer smiled gratefully at Hermione, then started down the stairs, chin held just a little higher.

"Oh yes, I'll take care of him," Hermione muttered, turning on her heel and marching back to the hospital wing. 

She threw the door open, then yanked open the curtains around his bed. His head snapped up in surprise, then he flinched back at the blatant fury on her face.

"Who do you think you are?" Hermione hissed, coming over to stand right next to the bed. "What gives you the right to treat one of your students like that?" Her face was inches from his now, her hands planted firmly on the mattress. "That poor girl was shaking like a leaf when she came out of here. What made you so angry that you had to do that to her?"

He glared back at her, dark eyes glinting dangerously.

"That girl has got to learn how to handle pressure," he answered, sitting back up, and forcing her to back away from the bed. "She spilled my coffee all over the tray, then didn't even try to clean it up. She simply looked at me as if asking if everything would be okay." He smirked up at her, a small laugh escaping his throat. "Gryffindors have such high opinions of themselves, they believe they don't have to atone for their mistakes. Typical."

Hermione spun on her heel and started to leave when his hand shot out and grabbed her around the wrist. She gasped in pain. His fingers were digging into her skin horribly. He forced her to turn and look at him. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were narrowed dangerously at her.

"There is a war coming, Hermione," he whispered, pulling her a step closer to the bed. "These students must learn to deal with pressure and ridicule in order to be strong enough to defeat Voldemort." His grip loosened slightly, allowing the blood to flow into her hand again. "There is no room for weakness now. We must make them strong!" He released his hold on her, then sat back in the bed and closed his eyes.

Hermione was silent for a moment, rubbing her wrist where his fingers had left deep red marks. 

"You're right," she said, reaching out to take his hand. "I'm sorry. There is no room for weakness if we're going to defeat Voldemort."

He opened his eyes, then looked down at their entwined fingers and sighed.

"I don't like being so harsh, Hermione," he said, placing his other hand on top of hers. "But in times like these it is a necessary evil." He looked back up at her, then reached a hand out to stroke the soft skin of her cheek lightly with the back of his hand. "If only we could all simply live our lives without worry. Just read poetry, eat wonderful food, drink wine, learn" he paused and ran his thumb over her lower lip. "Love."

She felt her cheeks redden at his words. She tried to speak but found that her voice had left her. She was lost in the indescribable depths of his eyes, unable to tear herself away. It was as if an invisible hand were pushing the two closer and closer together. Brown eyes locked onto black, sparks almost dancing between the two, they moved closer. Their lips were inches apart when the door to the hospital wing crashed open. Hermione jumped back guiltily, cheeks flaming.

"Miss Granger!" a small voice was calling.

Hermione stared at Severus for a moment, eyes wide with wonder, then turned and flew out to the main area of the hospital wing where a small boy was holding onto his arm in pain, tears leaking down his cheeks.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, rushing over to the boy.

"We were joking around in our dorm room," the boy's friend said. "We were shoving eachother around when he fell off of his bed and landed on his wrist and sort of cried out."

Hermione pulled the little boy's hand out in front of her, noting the damage. The wrist was swollen to the size of an orange, black and blue already starting to come out on his skin. She led him over to one of the beds, then helped him up onto it.

"What's your name?" she asked, taking out her wand and running it over his wrist. It pulsed deep blue once.

"Aaron," he answered, hiccuping as he talked. "Aaron Renaldi."

"What house and year are you, Aaron?" she asked, holding her wand over the break and muttering the words to heal it. He gasped as the bone slipped back into place.

"Hufflepuff, first year," he replied, staring at her with wide eyes. "How did you do that?"

Hermione grinned at him.

"Magic," she replied, winking at him. "You stay right there and don't move that wrist." 

She bustled away, then came back with a bowl full of the same white cream she had used on Severus and some bandages.

"Hold still, now," she instructed, rubbing liberal amounts of the cream over his wrist and hand. She wrapped the wrist with the bandages, sealed them closed with a spell, then sat on the bed opposite him. "Better?"

He smiled at her and bobbed his head, a lock of his blond hair falling over his eyes as he did so. He was such a cute, tiny boy, Hermione couldn't help loving him.

"Now, take this potion," she said, handing him a small bottle with a light orange liquid inside. He stared at her.

"Now?" he asked, raising both of his eyebrows.

"Now."

He pulled out the stopper with his good hand, tilted his head back, and swallowed the whole bottle down in one gulp. He sputtered and coughed, eyes watering horribly.

"That was awful!" he exclaimed, handing the bottle back to her. "What was that?"

"Just a pain relief potion," Hermione answered, slipping the bottle into a pocket of her robes. "You'll be making that this year in Potions class."

He scowled at her darkly.

"I don't even want to think about Potions class," he muttered, looking down at the ground.

"Why not?" Hermione asked, coming over to sit down next to him. "Not your favorite subject, I take it."

He scowled up at her then sighed dramatically.

"No. It's definitely NOT my favorite subject," he said, picking at a spot on the bedspread. "Professor Snape scares me."

Hermione couldn't help but smile at that. He had once terrified her as well.

"Don't let him scare you," Hermione began, putting her arm comfortingly around his shoulders. "He may be a bit intimidating, but he is, without a doubt, the best teacher Hogwarts has." He looked up at her skeptically. "I know what you're thinking. I must be crazy." He laughed lightly at that. "But think for a moment. Have you ever forgotten something he has taught you in one of your classes?"

He looked off into space for a moment, then shook his head no.

"Don't you always try your hardest in his classes?"

"Yes," he answered, his brow furrowing. "He expects that from us."

"Exactly!" Hermione exclaimed, giving him a light squeeze. "He gets you to work hard where otherwise you might just be happy to squeak by." She looked into his eyes and gave him a little shake. "THAT is what makes a teacher great. One who is able to get the best out of his students."

He smiled widely at her, then stood up.

"Thank you, Miss Granger," he said, grinning cheekily up at her. "I'll remember that."

"Take care of that wrist, Aaron!" she called, watching him join his friend and exit the hospital wing. She smiled at the closed door a moment longer, then stood to go to her office and fill out the appropriate paperwork. It didn't matter that she used magic to heal. She still had to fill out the bloody paperwork! That was the only part of her job she didn't like.

She picked up the bowl, then made her way to her office, passing by Snape's bed on her way.

"Hermione," he called, stopping her in her tracks.

She turned and peered into the curtained-off area at him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, legs dangling onto the floor, a strange look on his face.

"Yes?" she asked, taking a step closer to him.

"I didn't know you felt that way about my teaching," he said, holding her with his piercing gaze. "I always assumed that my colleagues felt I was too harsh with the students."

"Severus," Hermione began, shaking her head. "I meant what I said to Aaron out there. You are a great teacher." She set the bowl down on a small table and took a few steps into the enclosure. "You are great because you earn the students' respect." 

He snorted lightly then said, "The students don't respect me, Hermione. They fear me."

She smiled at him.

"True," she said, chuckling lightly. "Some of them do fear you. But if you were to pull back a few of those layers, you would most definitely find that they hold great respect for you." She strode toward him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I always respected you." She gave him a light squeeze. "I still do." 

He looked up at her and, for the first time in days, smiled. He smiled a real, true, brighter-than-the-sun smile. And it was all for Hermione. She felt herself going weak as he looked at her and involuntarily squeezed his shoulder tighter to keep from tumbling right to the floor. They stayed like that for several moments, Severus smiling up at Hermione, and Hermione smiling down at him. She finally broke the silence.

"Well, I have some paperwork to fill out."

She took a step back and picked the bowl up off of the table.

"How are you feeling right now?" she asked, turning back to him.

He settled back onto the bed and leaned his head back on the pillows.

"I'm fine," he answered, closing his eyes. "Just tired."

"Alright," she said, smiling at the serene look on his face. "You just stay here tonight and tomorrow you can go back to your rooms, okay?"

"Okay."

She turned to leave when his voice stopped her.

"Thank you, Hermione," he whispered, "for everything."

********************************************

_Dear Harry,_

_How are you and Ginny? Is Lily still driving you mad on that broomstick you bought her for her birthday? You know Harry, I don't have to say I told you so! That little girl is just like you when it comes to Quidditch. I miss her terribly!_

_Well, I hate to break it to you Harry, but you have some competition here for best Seeker Gryffindor has ever had. Jennifer Wilson, a sixth year, is probably the best Seeker I've seen in a long time. She also helps me in the hospital wing after classes a few nights a week. I absolutely adore her and she talks about you all the time! She can't believe that I'm best friends with the "Famous Harry Potter." And, believe it or not, she isn't referring to you know who. She doesn't even blink when Voldemort is mentioned! No, she would be referring to the handsome, charming Seeker for the Chudley Cannons. Now, don't tell anyone, but she keeps a picture of you in her pocket at all times! It's absolutely adorable! So, getting to the point of this whole letter, it would be so wonderful if you could come up here for a visit. You could visit with me and Remus, and make Jennifer's dream come true! She is just dying to meet you! You could even give her a few pointers. So, what do you say? Owl me back with your answer._

_Give Ginny and Lily big hugs for me!_

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Hermione rolled the piece of parchment, pressed hot wax to seal it, then pressed her very own seal into the wax. The seal pressed an image of a dragon into each letter she sent. People always wondered why, of all things, Hermione Granger had chosen a dragon for her personal seal. She didn't feel the need to explain. Dragons were, to her, quite simply, the most magnificent creatures in existence. They were fierce, majestic, and everything that she fancied herself to be in her mind. They embodied everything she tried to be.

"Off you go, now," she murmurred to the brown owl perched on the arm of her chair. She sent it off with a slight shove, then sat back and stared out the window.

Severus instantly came to her mind. His first summoning had come and gone, and things seemed to have gone well. True, she could never erase the pain dwelling in her heart from seeing him crumpled on the ground, but she also felt that much stronger because of the ordeal. She smiled widely to herself. She would be able to handle it. No matter what happened, she would be able to take care of him. Not just because it was her job, but because she couldn't bear to lose him. He was quickly becoming her best friend, and more. She loved him. She knew, deep in her very soul, that she loved him and needed him in her life more than anything else. 

He occupied her thoughts from the moment she woke up in the morning to the second she slipped off to sleep. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He occupied her dreams, as well. Hermione had always had very vivid dreams, but they never consisted of the same person night after night. But Severus was in her dreams every single night. Sometimes just a glimpse of sparkling black eyes, other times very intimate dreams with her in his strong arms being showered with kisses and caresses. She blushed as the previous night's dream came to mind. She and Severus had been in a beautiful garden, roses blooming at every turn, fountains bubbling out crystal clear water, and lovely statues peering at them with wide, unseeing eyes. They were dancing slowly in each other's arms, tongues moving together searchingly, hands exploring skin and cloth with no sign of stopping. The dream had gone on and on like that, Hermione feeling as if she were suffocating in pleasure as she slept. She had finally woken up only because Crookshanks pounced on her chest, rousing her out of her fitful dreaming. 

"Thank God for him," Hermione muttered to herself, absently reaching out to stroke the cat's ginger fur. She wasn't sure she would have survived much more of that dream. 

She shook her head, clearing her muddled brain of the thoughts that had been racing through it for the last hour, then stood and reached her arms up above her head, stretching her aching back muscles leisurely. She glanced over at the clock on the wall. It was 4:30pm. A nice brisk walk was what she needed right now, and there was plenty of time before dinner to do so. She stretched her arms up one last time, then headed out of the hospital wing and down the stairs to the entrance hall. 

"Where are you headed, Hermione?" Madam Hooch asked, stepping out of a door along the side wall, broomstick slung over her shoulder.

Hermione smiled kindly at the yellow-eyed witch.

"Just out for a walk," she answered, nodding her head toward the entrance doors. "I need to get out for awhile."

"Yes, I suppose you probably could use a little time out of the hospital wing," she said, taking a few steps toward Hermione. She reached out and squeezed Hermione's arm, a sympathetic smile on her face. "We all appreciate what you did for Severus," she said quietly to Hermione. "He's very important to all of us."

"Thank you," Hermione said, nodding. "He's important to me, too."

Madam Hooch smiled, a very forced smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Yes," she said, stepping back, her smile thinning on her face. "I suppose he is. Good day." 

With that, she turned and strode away in the opposite direction, black robes flying out behind her, booted feet clicking loudly on the marble floor. Hermione stared after her for a moment, a thousand different things running through her mind from what Madam Hooch had just said. Was she being sincere? Or, heaven forbid, did she have a thing for Severus as well? Hermione shook her head, shrugged her shoulders, then turned and pulled open the door to the outside. 

She immediately felt more clear-headed as the sharp September wind blew into her face, whipping her hair up around her neck and into her face. The leaves were almost completely off of all the trees now, and her feet crunched with every step she took across the grounds. She wasn't sure where she intended to go, but almost before she knew it, she was standing before Hagrid's hut. A pang of nostalgia shot through her as she stood staring at a place where she had spent so much of her childhood. Almost immediately snatches of conversations and events that had taken place here were rocketing through her mind. Saturday afternoon teas and lunches, heated arguments over ridiculous things such as broomstick models and exam results, fun-filled evenings of wizarding chess and Exploding Snap, all made their way into her mind as she stood staring at the old hut.

She wasn't sure if he would be there, but decided to take her chances and knocked loudly on the door. Loud, booming barks answered her knock, then she heard heavy footsteps coming toward the door. She took a step back, suddenly thrilled at the prospect of seeing Hagrid for the first time since she had been back. She wasn't sure how she hadn't made it down here earlier, but she intended to change that right now. The door slowly swung open, creaking loudly on the hinges. A large, hairy head peeked around the door, dark eyes opening wide at the sight of the woman standing alone on the doorstep.

"Hermione?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Hermione?" Hagrid said, stepping out from behind the door, eyes open wide with surprise. "Hermione Granger! Is that you?"

"It's me, Hagrid," Hermione said, smiling up at him. 

He laughed aloud, then reached out and pulled her to him in a bone-crushing hug. He smelled faintly of clean, fall air and grass.

"Oh, it's so good to see yeh!" he exclaimed, pulling her into the hut and slamming the door behind them. "I was beginning to wonder when yeh'd be down ter visit."

Hermione took a seat at one of the enormous chairs around the table and beamed up at him. He was bustling around the hut making tea and preparing a plate of something. Hermione paled. She prayed they weren't rock cakes.

"I don't know how the time got away from me so fast," Hermione said, gratefully accepting the steaming mug of tea he handed to her. "I've been here since July and haven't been down once! I'm so sorry!"

"Ah, it's alright," he said, waving a hand at her, crumbs flying off of the piece of shortbread he was holding. He took a large bite and gazed at her thoughtfully with narrowed eyes. "I spect you've been awfully busy what with preparing for the school year." He grinned mischievously at her as he chewed. "Not to mention all those flying lessons with Professor Snape."

Hermione sputtered into her teacup, shocked eyes flying up to meet Hagrid's. His shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter.

"I don't know what you're on about," Hermione said stiffly, straightening up in her seat. "I needed to learn, that's all. Do you honestly think Harry or Ron were ever patient enough to help?" 

"Ah, I spose not," he said, still chuckling at her. "But really? Before now if someone had told me that Hermione Granger would be gettin' along with Snape I would've called em barmy old fools!" He gulped down his tea in one drink, then wiped his face with the back of his arm. "Do I even need to bother askin' if yeh've told Harry and Ron?"

Hermione shook her head, a blush creeping up into her cheeks.

"Ah, well, I spect they might not take to the idea very well," Hagrid said. He stared at her for a moment, then finally spoke. "Has he been summoned yet?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered, "Just a few days ago." She looked up into Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. "It was awful! I hated seeing him in so much pain, Hagrid! Why does he have to do it?"

Hagrid leaned across the table and placed his large hand over Hermione's, literally enveloping it in his hand, and squeezed lightly.

"Dumbledore wouldn't send him if he weren't helping, Hermione," Hagrid told her. "You just have to learn to trust him. There's no point in workin' yerself up over it." He gave her another squeeze before releasing her hand and picking up another piece of shortbread. "You're strong, Hermione. You can handle this."

Hermione smiled gratefully at Hagrid. This was exactly what she needed. She had needed an old friend to confide in and get things off of her chest, and Hagrid had come through magnificently.

She picked up a piece of the shortbread and took a bite, savoring the sweet flavor.

"So, Hagrid," Hermione began, twinkling at him over the rim of her teacup. "Have you heard from Madame Maxime lately?"

His cheeks immediately burned red, confirming Hermione's suspicions.

"Ah, yes," Hagrid said in a strangely gruff voice. "We spent the summer together in France."

And with that, Hagrid launched into a complete blow by blow of his summer, leaving Hermione's mind free of worries and able to simply enjoy her time with an old friend.

***************************************************************************

Hermione ran up to the castle, her hair billowing out behind her. It was after 7:00 and she was late for dinner. Not that Hagrid's shortbread hadn't been delicious, but it certainly didn't fill her up. She slammed the front doors open and skidded to a halt. The entranceway was jammed with students, all of them pushing their way toward the Great Hall.

"You there!" Hermione called to a passing student. The girl turned and smiled kindly at Hermione. "What's going on?"

"The doors have been blocked for the past hour," the girl answered, a grin breaking out across her freckled face. "Peeves thought it would be funny to stick the doors shut with loads of bubble gum."

"Imagine that," Hermione muttered darkly. "Thank you, Miss?"

"Duncan," she answered, nodding her head. "Samantha Duncan."

"Thank you, Samantha," Hermione said, smiling. She made her way slowly through the crowd, inching closer and closer to the Great Hall. She found Severus with his wand out, throwing spells at the gum that was stubbornly keeping one of the doors from opening. She tapped him on the shoulder. He whirled around, looking for all the world as if he wanted nothing more than to curse the first person to speak to him. His face immediately relaxed, however, when he noticed that it was Hermione who had interrupted him.

"Boy, Severus, if looks could kill," Hermione said, smiling cheekily up at him. "I'd be six feet under."

He scowled at her before turning back to the door.

"Need some help?" she asked, peering around him at the door. Thick, purple bubble gum was seeping through the cracks and bubbled around the hinges. It was an awful mess.

"No," he answered, a low growl in his voice making her shiver. Good God, the things that voice could do to her. "Why don't you go on in and eat some dinner, Hermione." He stood back and placed his hands on his narrow hips. "I'll be finished in just a moment." He paused and scowled at the door. "That ever-fucking Peeves!" He shouted, making several students stop and gape open-mouthed at him. He glared hard at them and they shuffled off, heads down, none of them daring to cross the Potions Master. "He had to use the only chewing gum guaranteed to stick relentlessly to anything it comes in contact with. I'll be damned if I can find a spell to get rid of it."

Hermione calmly stepped around him, pointed her wand at the door, and said, "Annihilare chewing gum!" The purple substance immediately dissolved into crystals and fell, tinkling, to the floor. "See you at dinner." She smirked at him, twirling her wand between her fingers, and stepped into the Great Hall.

He scowled after her for a moment, then waved his wand over the crystals on the floor, sweeping them off and out the door. May as well try to be useful,' he thought to himself, raising his chin and striding in the doors and up to the Head Table. Dumbledore's eyes immediately found Severus and he winked knowingly at him. Severus scowled up at him, then he strode up the stairs and around the back of the table to take a seat next to Hermione. She looked up as he slid noiselessly into the chair, his jaw set stubbornly.

"Hello," Hermione greeted him, pouring him a glass of iced pumpkin juice. She pushed it toward him and watched as he wordlessly picked up the glass and brought it to his lips, her eyes widening when he brought the glass away from his mouth and ran his tongue slowly across his lips, licking the pumpkin juice off of them. She shivered involuntarily, imaging what that tongue could do to her, given the chance. He glanced knowingly over at her, a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Something bothering you, Hermione?" he whispered, eyes sparkling in the candlelight.

She flushed and looked down at her plate.

"Nothing," she lied, pushing her piece of chicken around with her fork. "You?"

He laughed lightly and reached under the table to place one large hand on her thigh. His thumb grazed gently over the soft fabric of her robes, making tremors rocket through her body. 

"I'm just fine," he whispered leaning closer until his mouth was right next to her ear. "You, on the other hand, seem to be falling apart quite rapidly." His hand slid farther up her thigh, until it was nearly all the way to the top. "Whatever could be the reason?"

Her head whipped around, her wide eyes meeting his hooded ones. So this was the game he wanted to play? Well, she would just have to play along, wouldn't she? She let her eyelids close a bit, then laughed, a deep, seductive laugh. His eyes widened as she laughed.

"Oh, Severus," she murmured, reaching down to take his hand from her thigh. She ran her fingertips along each of his fingers, and down between them, letting her fingers circle his as she moved from one finger to the other. She looked up at him and smiled. "I think you know what's bothering me." She let her hand trail down his wrist and forearm, then over to his thigh. His muscles tensed up, then slowly relaxed as she trailed circles over the fabric of his pants, inching higher and higher. He caught his breath when she trailed ever so lightly over the bulge in his trousers. She smiled knowingly at him, then abruptly pulled her hand away and resumed eating her dinner. He stared open-mouthed as she brought her spoon to her mouth and slowly licked vanilla pudding from the surface, her tongue dancing around the metal seductively.

Good God, but he was hard! It would be quite awhile before he would be able to get up from the table. Damn her! He glared over at her as she repeated the process with the pudding, making the blood throb even harder in his groin. That wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to turn the tables like that! Severus smiled down at his plate of roast chicken. But that was something he loved about her. She could make your head spin faster than a top sometimes. He stole a glance at her from the corner of his eye and watched as she cut her chicken into tiny pieces, biting her lower lip in concentration. The bulge in his trousers twitched. Dammit! Did every move she made have to be such a turn on? He stabbed angrily at his food, then finally popped a piece of chicken in his mouth, chewing as he thought of Hermione. He chuckled as an image formed in his mind. The image consisted of Hermione lying in a large glass dish, covered from head to toe in pudding that he was supposed to eat off of her body. Oh, but that would be one delicious dessert! Only one thing could make him feel terrible right now.

"Severus!"

And there it was. Severus flinched when he heard the familiar voice float over from behind him. He turned and looked into the smiling face of Madam Hooch. He groaned silently as she strode over to his side and took the seat to his right. 

"How are you feeling, Sev?" she asked, jovially slapping him on the back.

He grimaced.

"Fine, thank you," he said, distinctly noticing the deflating feeling going on between his legs. Damn her! He glanced over at Hermione and found her glaring at Madam Hooch, her eyes seeming to spark with jealousy. Well, well, well,' Severus thought to himself. This could be fun.'

He turned back to Madam Hooch and smiled, watching as her eyes lit up.

And how are you this evening?" he asked, pouring her a glass of pumpkin juice. She accepted the glass gratefully.

"Wonderful!" she answered, taking a long drink of the juice. He grimaced at the sound her throat made as she drank. Disgusting! He immediately pulled the smile back to his face when she looked back at him, a coy smile on her face. "You're such a gentleman, Severus."

He laughed lightly and shook his head.

"Oh, no," he said. "A real gentleman would have told you how wonderful you look this evening."

She giggled. She actually giggled when he said that! He barely held back the laughter trying to bubble to the surface.

"Oh, come on now," she cooed, slapping him lightly on the arm. "I just wanted to tell you how glad I am that you made such a speedy recovery. Our new nurse must have done a wonderful job."

Severus turned and smiled at Hermione, then turned back to Madam Hooch.

"Yes, it could be," he said, thoughtfully. "But then, I've always been a swift healer. Medicine may have had nothing to do with it."

He felt Hermione tense beside him, then watched as her cheeks immediately began to redden in anger. She pushed back her chair and stood abruptly.

"Excuse me," she spat, turning and striding as fast as her legs would carry her out of the Great Hall.

"Well," Madam Hooch muttered, eyes wide with shock. "I wonder what's gotten into her."

Severus chuckled, then shook his head.

"I have no idea."

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Hermione flew out the doors, her robes billowing majestically behind her, and made her way toward the front doors. She pushed them open and stepped out into the cold night air. It felt wonderful on her burning cheeks.

"How dare him!" she hissed to herself, walking as fast as she could to burn off some of the anger. 

How dare he play with her like that! One minute he was practically shaking with desire for her, and the next he was flirting with another woman. Madam Hooch, no less! Did the man have no taste?

She strode over to the edge of the lake and plopped down on the grass, her back resting against the trunk of a tree perched near the edge. She picked up a handful of stones and began tossing them out into the inky black water, watching as the stones made circles dance out from the impact site across the smooth surface.

"You shouldn't do that," a voice said from behind her. She whirled around on the ground, heart hammering wildly in her ribs. Severus stood, leaning casually against the trunk of the tree, smirking down at her. She glared up at him and turned back to the water, tossing another stone out in the process.

"Why not?" she asked, bring her arm back to throw another. His hand closed around her fist, bringing it slowly down to the ground. He sat down next to her, still holding her hand in his, thumb idly stroking across her skin. She yanked her hand back and crossed her arms over her chest. "I said, why not?"

He laughed lightly.

"Because, my dear," he began, pointing out at the water. "If you have forgotten, there is a giant squid in there who does not like to be disturbed while sleeping." He looked over at her, a completely serious expression on his face. "She's terribly moody."

Hermione couldn't help it. She laughed. She threw her head back and laughed as hard as she could. It was such a tension reliever to have someone joke around like that. Even if the person joking was the one who made you tense in the first place. She hardly noticed when he joined her in laughing, then reached back over and took her hand in his. She didn't pull away this time. She simply enjoyed the feeling of his warm hand closed tightly over hers. She scooted closer to him, enjoying the feeling of security coming from him.

He looked over at her and cleared his throat.

"I couldn't help but notice how abruptly you left the dinner table," he said, smirking down at her. She glared at him. "Why in the world did you do that?"

She harrumphed at him and looked back out at the lake.

"I don't suppose it means anything to you," she said, turning her head away from him, "but I was actually enjoying your company before she came along."

"Really?" he asked, sarcastically. "I didn't notice between the groping and spoon licking."

She whirled around to look at him, fury written all over her face.

"Excuse me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him and yanking her hand back from him once again. "I was groping? I believe you started it, Severus." She leaned toward him and mocked, in a low voice, "Why Hermione, it seems as if I'm having too much of an effect on you. Shall I pull up your robes and bend you over the table?"

Severus glared at her.

"Oh, please," he muttered, scowling darkly at her. He put on a high, squeaky voice. "Oh, Severus, watch me lick the pudding off of this spoon. You'll soon be putty in my hands, dreaming that it's not the spoon I'm licking, but you."

They glared at eachother for several moments, both of them contemplating the next insult they would throw at the other. Hermione didn't know how it happened, but before she knew it, she had reached up and pulled Severus' head down and pressed her lips hungrily against his. He stiffened for only a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling them both up to their knees. She felt his tongue run along the crease between her lips and moaned aloud before opening her mouth and allowing him entrance. Their tongues danced together, meeting and retreating in complicated patterns, their hands running blindly over the other, pulling at the fabric of their robes, trying to free eachother of the constraining cloth. She brought her hands up and pulled at the band holding his hair back, then ran her fingers through the soft tresses, reveling at the feel of it between her fingers. His hair was as soft as satin, not greasy at all tonight.

Their kisses became more and more fevered, his lips finally leaving hers to nibble his way down her jaw, then moving on to the delicious place where her neck met her shoulder. She shivered, running her hands up and down his back, then back up to his hair again.

"Mmm, Severus," she moaned, smiling to herself.

He immediately stiffened, then pulled back, a look of horror on his face.

"What is it?" she asked, sitting back on her feet, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"We shouldn't be doing this," he whispered hoarsely, yanking his fingers through his hair.

"Why?" she asked, reaching up to touch his face. He took her hand and pulled it away from his cheek.

"I don't want to put you in danger," he said, kissing her lightly on each knuckle.

"Severus," Hermione began, frowning. "You can't put me in any more danger than I already am." She paused and forced him to look her in the eyes. "Harry Potter is my best friend. Voldemort could very well use me to get to Harry. You know that."

"You don't understand, Hermione," he said, standing up and looking out over the lake. "I am a Death Eater. You are a muggle-born witch." He looked down at her and frowned. "The first on Voldemort's list of enemies. I can't put you in that kind of danger. If he were to find out that I was with a muggle-born..." He trailed off, looking back out at the lake again. "I wouldn't be able to keep you safe."

"Severus," Hermione pleaded, scrambling up to stand next to him. "Severus I want this more than anything. Can't you see that?" She stepped in front of him and forced his eyes down to hers. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Please, don't do this."

He bent down and captured her lips in a soft kiss, then hugged her tightly.

"We just can't," he whispered, taking a few steps backwards, a look of intense pain on his face. "I can't do that to you. I'm sorry."

With that, he turned and ran up to the castle, his cloak billowing behind him majestically.

Hermione didn't know how long she stood, staring up at the door to his office, her hair and cloak flitting about in the wind. But she remembered the exact moment her heart broke. She had just looked down at her watch. It was 8:15pm. She crumpled to the hard ground, buried her face in her cloak, and sobbed, the tears streaming down her face, great keening wails welling up and breaking through the silent night. She cried for the love she had gained for a moment and lost just as quickly. She cried for her loneliness. But most of all, she cried for Severus, the man she still loved more than anything. He didn't know it, but he had changed her, just as surely as a fire changes the face of the wood it consumes for fuel. She'd be damned if she let him get away that easily. She slammed her fist into the hard ground, gritting her teeth together in anger. Damn Voldemort! Damn him!

She stood up and wiped her face with both hands, then turned and looked out at the lake. The moon was reflected in the water, the light dancing across the surface, and coming to rest on her face. 

If anyone were to look out at that very moment, they would wonder what kind of strange magic was taking place at the lakeside. Hermione was angry. Angrier than she had ever been. Power was pulsing through her in sharp waves, her eyes closed as she felt it. But on top of that power was something else...love. Love and power were coursing through her body, and something was happening. The wind picked up sharply, her hair whipping around her face, cloak flapping in the wind and floating around her thin frame majestically.

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. The wind died down just as suddenly as it had picked up. She looked around her slowly, then gazed down at her hands. Crescent shapes were etched deeply into her palms from closing her fists too tightly against the pain. Blood had started to ooze out of a couple of them. She wiped the blood from her palms with the edge of her cloak and sighed.

"I love you so much, Severus," she whispered, tears pricking at her eyes again. "Please don't leave me. I know you love me, too."

She turned away from the lake and started back toward the school, head bowed in pain. She didn't notice the dark figure that stepped out from behind a tree and stared after her as she walked up the path.

Remus Lupin watched one of his favorite people walk resolutely back up to the school, shoulders slumped in defeat, and sighed deeply. She didn't deserve this pain. He glared at the door to Severus' chambers and clenched his fists. That man would listen to reason if Remus had to tie him to a chair. She loved him. How could he just push her love aside that easily?

He pulled his cloak up over his head and stalked toward the low door in the far wall, with every intention of giving Severus a good talking to. He rapped loudly on the door.

"Severus!" he called, slamming his fist into the wood door repeatedly. "I know you're in there!"

The door slowly creaked open.

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Author Notes:

This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful, wonderful, wonderful friend JenniferW. Jen, you are the greatest and I don't know what I'd do without your words of wisdom and encouragement.

To all of my reviewers, thank you sooooooo much! Your comments really help me write well and I just love making people smile! I hope you all enjoy the coming chapters!!!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The door slowly creaked open.

Remus jolted back in shock as Severus' face peered around the open door. His eyes were red and bloodshot, hair standing wildly all over his head.

"What do you want?" he asked, running his hand down his face wearily.

"I want to talk to you," Remus answered, pushing on the door, forcing Severus back into the room. He resisted for only a moment before relenting and turning his back to Remus, shoulders slumped miserably.

"Come in, then," he muttered, stalking slowly over to his desk chair. He sat down hard, then leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Remus sat down in a chair in front of the desk and stared at Severus for a moment. He sighed deeply and leaned forward, placing his hands on the desk.

"Severus, what are you doing?" Remus whispered severely. "Do you realize what you've done tonight? You broke her heart!"

Snape's eyes snapped open and he leaned forward, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I know," he whispered, clenching his jaw. "I had to."

"What do you mean, you had to!" Remus bellowed, slamming his hands down onto the desk, making Severus jerk back in his seat.

"All I'm going to do by being close to her is put her in danger!" Severus snapped, his cheeks reddening. "Why can't you understand that?"

"You are such a fool, Severus," Remus said, shaking his head. "You're tossing aside the one woman who will ever love you!"

Severus stood up and whipped out his wand, pointing it at Remus' chest.

"I don't need you to tell me how repulsive I am," he hissed, chest rising and falling rapidly. "Get out."

"No," Remus said. Before Severus knew what had hit him Remus had bellowed out "Expelliarmus!" then "Petrificus Totalus!" Snape's wand whizzed into Remus' outstretched hand, then, stiff as a board Severus crashed to the floor. Remus stepped around the desk and sat down in Severus' chair, looking down at him lying still on the floor, eyes wide with shock. "I'm sorry Severus," he said, twirling his wand between his fingers. "But you are going to listen to what I have to say."

Snape's eyes hardened, the only part of his body still capable of expression.

"Severus, we live in very hard times. Our whole lives have been ruled by our fear of Voldemort and the fact that he could strike at anytime," Remus said, reaching over to put Snape's wand on the desk. "You have been shouldering one of the very worst burdens for so many years, and when something finally comes along that could make shouldering that burden worth it, you push it away." He shook his head. "Severus, I know that you love her. I know it. And she loves you."

Remus stood and paced around the perimeter of the room.

"Let's look at this from another perspective," he said, stopping in front of Severus. "Hermione is Harry Potter's best friend. Who is Harry Potter?" He could see the sparks flare in Snape's eyes at this ridiculous question. "Harry Potter is Voldemort's worst enemy. The one person who has stopped him time and time again from returning and wrecking our entire world. Hermione could be used to get to Harry and she knows this. Yet she continues to keep him in her life, knowing that she is in danger every single day." He stooped down in front of Severus, staring into his cold eyes. "Hermione won't be pushed away that easily, Severus. When she cares for a person she will see that relationship out to the very end, no matter what the personal cost. She loves you, Severus!" he repeated, poking Severus in the chest with his wand. "Why would you push something that precious away from you? She can bring you happiness! Don't you want that?" He stood and pointed his wand down at him. "Finite Incantatem!"

Severus blinked once, then again, then slowly pulled himself to a sitting position. He gazed up at Remus.

"Of course I want happiness, Remus," he whispered, looking back down at his hands. "But is happiness something I can really afford to have right now?"

"Happiness is always worth having," Remus said, stooping down next to Severus and squeezing his shoulder. "She would share it with you, you know."

"I know," Severus whispered, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

Remus squeezed his shoulder one more time, then stood.

"I'm glad we had this talk," he said, straightening his robes. He smiled down at Severus. "Please think about what I said before pushing her away entirely. She is worth far too much, Severus."

He turned and swept out the door, slamming it firmly behind him.

Severus sat on the floor for quite some time, simply mulling over the things Remus had told him. He was right, of course. Hermione could bring him happiness and she would certainly take that risk. But could he risk her life even more than it already was? And, more importantly, would she ever forgive him for what he had done?

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Hermione sat in the window seat, gazing down at Severus' window. There were no lights flickering tonight, no shadowy figure flitting past the window. She sighed and closed her eyes, the strained look on his face burning through the backs of her eyelids, making her throat constrict with sadness. She had had him. For one sweet, incredible moment, she had him in her arms the way she had been dreaming of. And then she said his name...just a whisper, but it had shocked him away all the same. He thought he would be putting her in danger. Didn't he realize that she was in danger every single day of her life? She had been since she was eleven years old. She wanted to be with him. More than anything she wanted to be with him. And she would risk everything to have him.

She stood quickly, pulling her hands through her hair, and turned to the bathroom. She needed a nice, hot bath. That would clear her mind and relax her wire-tight nerves and muscles.

She made her way into the bathroom, then crouched down next to the tub. She experimented with the taps before finally deciding on a mixture of lavender and vanilla for relaxation. She shrugged off her robes, then reached around to her back to pull down the zipper of the dress she was wearing. The dress fell to the floor, followed by her bra and panties. She gingerly stepped down into the hot, bubbly water, until she was finally immersed up to her chin. Her head fell back onto the edge of the tub, a long, drawn-out sigh escaping her lips. Oh, heaven, this was wonderful!

She soaked for quite awhile, the tension slowly draining away, her muscles loosening up bit by bit. The water was cooling down by the time she stood and emerged from the soapy water. She stood on the edge of the tub stretching languidly, water and bubbles dripping down her body when she heard it. A sharp crack of something heavy thudding down onto the floor. She whipped around, snatched a towel off of the shelf, and hastily pulled it around her body.

"Who's there?" she called, grabbing her wand from the sink. She tiptoed out of the bathroom, wand held in front of her like a sword. She had just pushed the door all the way open, when she stopped in shock.

"Severus?"

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Severus paced around his quarters, head swimming with thoughts of Hermione and how he was going to apologize, tell her that he was wrong, that he was a fool, that he needed her, that he...loved her. He loved her more than anything and it had taken him by complete surprise. He never expected to fall in love, especially with her. She had always been an enigma to him, too smart for her own good, too wise, too brave, too Gryffindor! When she left Hogwarts he never expected her to come back. In his mind, she was going to cure incurable diseases, conquer Voldemort at Harry's side, maybe publish a novel or textbook. She wasn't going to come back to Hogwarts and become the school nurse. But she had, and he had never been happier in his life. She had come back and brought with her hope. Hope that he could be happy and loved. That he could come out of the shell he had built around himself all those years ago and finally live!

He had been completely shocked when she had reached up and kissed him. But there was something behind that kiss that wouldn't let him pull away right away. He could feel her desire with every burning touch of her soft lips to his, her fingers running trails of fire through his hair, over his face and neck, and down his arms. She wanted him. And he wanted her. He had lapsed into a sort of frenzy after that, his hands roaming everywhere, over the smooth skin of her face and down her neck, over the soft curve of her breast and the dip of her waist. Oh, God, how he had wanted her. But then she had said his name, and something simply snapped in his mind. This beautiful, wonderful creature would be in danger if he were to give in to her intoxicating kisses. She was far too precious to expose to that. He loved her, yet he couldn't bear to be the cause of pain for her. So he had pushed her away. And it had felt like sharp talons raking across his skin when he finally pulled away and ran back to his quarters.

He remembered the look in her eyes as he had told her that they couldn't be together. He could see the love in those glorious cinnamon eyes. She really loved him.

"She really loves me," he whispered to himself, coming to a halt in the middle of the room. "She loves me and I love her. I love her!"

He rushed over to the bathroom and hastily pulled his hair back into a ponytail, then splashed cold, clear water over his face. He was going to go to her and tell her that he loved her, that he couldn't live without her.

He took off at a full run out of his quarters, tearing through the halls to the hospital wing, and flying up the stairs. He pushed the door open, then quietly made his way to her door. He listened and heard the sound of running water coming from inside the room. She was taking a bath. He checked to see if there were any wards protecting the door, found none, and whispered "Alohomora!" The door swung silently open, and he stepped inside. He looked around in interest, noting the full bookshelves on the walls and the large black leather couch dominating the center of the room. He picked up a book from an end table and read the title. "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare." It was a large, heavy volume, bound in dark brown leather with beautiful gold letters on the front. A magnificent volume to add to her collection.

He glanced up and noticed a sliver of light across her bedroom floor. He tiptoed into the room and noticed that the door to the bathroom was hanging slightly open. The air smelled faintly of lavender and vanilla. He peeked carefully around the corner and gaped. Hermione had just emerged from the water, her body glistening from the warm water, suds sliding slowly down her long, shapely legs. She turned toward the door, her arms stretched over head. Severus gazed in open-mouthed wonder at the beautiful creature standing before him. Her breasts were large and high, belly flat with a tiny waist, curving down to shapely hips and legs. His body was responding rapidly, his heart pounding in his ribcage, mouth suddenly dry. He watched, enraptured, as she simply stood there, stretching luxuriously, completely oblivious to the man standing right outside the door. He felt the book slipping from his hands too late. It crashed to the floor with a deafening thud. Hermione whipped a towel around her body, then came out, wand held in front of her protectively.

"Who's there?" she called, pushing the door open. She stopped and gaped at him. "Severus?"

He felt the heat rising to his cheeks, but no words would come. She took another step toward him.

"Severus?" she repeated, narrowing her eyes at him. "What are you doing here?"

His eyes wandered down her body, noting for the first time how short that towel really was. He shook his head and snapped his eyes back to hers. She had a slight smirk on her face.

"I," he whispered, running a hand over his face nervously. "I, I needed to talk to you."

"God, you scared me," she said, tossing her wand onto the bed. "Could you give me a moment?"

"Of course," he said, turning to the living room. He went over to the couch and sat down hard, cheeks burning in shame. Good Lord, what a woman! She was absolutely breathtaking! He pulled out his wand and muttered a deflating spell at his groin, only really breathing when the spell had taken effect. 

She came out a moment later, hair dry and hanging free around her face, wrapped in a red, terry-cloth robe. She sat down next to him and pulled her legs up under her.

"You wanted to talk to me?" she asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Yes," he answered, leaning his arms on his legs and taking a deep breath. "Hermione, I don't exactly know how to say this." He paused and looked up into her eyes. She was staring back at him, an unreadable expression on her face. He lost himself for a moment in those eyes. 

"I made a mistake," he blurted out.

"What do you mean?" she whispered, reaching a hand up to clasp at her neck. Her hand was trembling.

"Tonight, when you kissed me, something happened in my head," he said, scooting closer to her on the sofa, the leather creaking as he moved. "I looked at you and saw this beautiful woman. And you wanted to be with me. Me!" he exclaimed, jabbing a finger at his chest. "Even though you knew who I was and what I did, you still wanted me." He paused and shook his head. "I didn't know how to handle that, Hermione. All I could think of was how dangerous it would be for us to be together." He reached over and took her hand. "I can't protect you all the time, Hermione. And I couldn't live with myself if something were to happen to you."

"You think I can't take care of myself?" she hissed, glaring at him. "Do you think I didn't realize your position when I kissed you tonight? Severus, I would risk everything for you! Everything!" She stood and raked her fingers through her hair, tears flooding down her cheeks. "Why can't you see it? Why can't you see how much I love you?"

They stared at one another for a moment, Severus' heart leaping about a mile a minute, a strong feeling of euphoria flooding his senses. She had said it. She loved him. 

"Don't you love me, too?" she whispered, her lower lip trembling.

He jumped up from the couch and in an instant he had his arms around her, his face buried in her soft hair.

"Oh, Hermione," he murmured, rocking her back and forth. "I do love you, so very much." He kissed her on the top of her head, then put both hands on her face and pulled it up so that she was looking him in the eyes. She was smiling, tears still flooding her cheeks. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers softly. She sobbed against his lips, then wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, clutching him as though he were only a ghost that would slip away if she didn't hold on tight enough. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, though it was only a matter of moments. He held onto her and she held onto him. Nothing else mattered, just the moment.

Hermione pulled away and smiled shyly up into his face, a slight blush creeping up into her cheeks.

"Severus," she began, blushing an even deeper shade of crimson. "Did you see me getting out of the tub?"

He smirked at her, one eyebrow cocked mischievously.

"Aha!" she exclaimed, jabbing him in the chest. "I knew it! So that's why you dropped the book!"

"Yes, well, when a glorious, glistening woman stands completely naked right in front of a man, he tends to lose function in his limbs," he said, a half-smile lighting up his face. He shook his head and pulled her to him again. "Oh, Hermione," he whispered in her ear, his hot breath making shivers run down her spine. "Are you really here?"

She pulled away and ran a finger down his jaw, his eyes closing instinctively at her touch. 

"I'm really here," she whispered, a tear trickling slowly down her face. She impatiently wiped it away and blinked away more tears threatening to pour forth. "We're really here, Severus. Together."

"Together," he repeated, wrapping a lock of her hair around his index finger. He let the lock pull through his fingers and sighed, then pulled her up against his body.

Their lips met slowly, softly, tongues dancing in and out of their mouths and meeting in slow, languid caresses. Severus let his fingers slide down her neck and under the edge of her robe, down over her full breasts, playing lightly over her nipples. She gasped into his mouth and arched up to his hands. He smiled against her mouth and let his fingers wander down lower, until they encountered the tie of her robe. He deftly pulled on the tie and the robe fell open, revealing to him the glorious woman standing almost naked before him. He pushed the robe off of her shoulders and stepped back, simply filling his eyes with the sight of her.

"Beautiful," he whispered, reaching out to run his fingers from her lips, down between her breasts to her stomach. She shivered and took a step closer to him, capturing his hand and bringing it to her mouth in the process. She kissed each finger lightly, then flicked her tongue out over the tips, pulling his index finger into her mouth and grazing over it with her teeth.

She reached out and deftly undid the clasp holding his robe closed at his throat, tossed it to the floor, then, starting at the top, unbuttoned the stiff black shirt he was wearing. She pushed the shirt from his shoulders, running her hands slowly down his arms, then back up his chest. She looked up into his eyes and smiled, a beautiful, loving smile.

"I can't believe this is really happening," she whispered, running her fingers over his lips. "I can't believe you're really here."

"I know," he whispered, pulling her close to him and wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I've been dreaming of this for so long, I'm afraid I'll wake up and I won't really be here."

He could feel her smile against his chest, then her breath as she started to speak.

"Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow-

You are not wrong, who deem

That my days have been a dream;

Yet, if Hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision, or in none,

Is it, therefore, the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream."

"Edgar Allen Poe," he said, smiling into her hair. "That's one of my favorites."

"Mine too," she said, pulling back and looking up into his face. She reached up and pulled his head down to hers, kissing him passionately, running her hands through his hair, then down his chest and stomach to the button of his trousers. She deftly undid the button, then the zipper, then slid his pants over his hips and to the ground, his boxers shortly following. He stepped out of the pile of clothing, then reached down and swung her up into his arms.

"How romantic," Hermione teased, leaning her head against his chest.

He simply planted a small kiss in her hair, then carried her into the bedroom. He laid her gently down on the deep blue duvet, then laid down beside her, running his hands down the length of her body.

"I love you, Hermione Granger," he whispered.

"I love you too, Severus," she said, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him over on top of her.

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Hermione woke slowly, stretching her arms up over her head and sighing in contentment. The previous night flooded into her mind. Kisses, caresses, and, most wonderful of all, the declaration of love they both had shared. 

She smiled and reached over for Severus and found, instead, a piece of parchment lying where he had lain the night before. She felt a fleeting moment of disappointment before picking up the parchment and reading what it said.

_Come to me in my dreams, and then_

_By day I shall be well again._

_For then the night will more than pay_

_The hopeless longing of the day._

_Come, as thou cam'st a thousand times,_

_A messenger from radiant climes,_

_And smile on thy new world, and be_

_As kind to others as to me._

_Or, as thou never cam'st in sooth,_

_Come now, and let me dream it truth._

_And part my hair, and kiss my brow,_

_And say My love! why sufferest thou?_

_Come to me in my dreams, and then_

_By day I shall be well again._

_For then the night will more than pay_

_The hopeless longing of the day._

_My Dearest Hermione,_

_I am sorry we couldn't wake up together. I thought it best that the students not see me leaving the Hospital Wing. We both know how rumors fly around this place. I only want you to know how much you mean to me and how surreal it was, waking up beside you early this morning. I never thought love would find me, but, thankfully, you have proven me wrong. _

_I will see you at breakfast, my love._

_Yours,_

_Severus_

Hermione sat back against the pillows and smiled, euphoria flooding her senses. She rolled over and closed her eyes, dreaming of Severus and the life they could have together. Nothing could go wrong now. Everything was perfect...

*********************************************************************************************

Author Notes: 

The poem that Severus leaves in his note to Hermione is called "Longing" and was written by Matthew Arnold (1822-1888). I originally found a snippet of this poem in a wonderful fic called "Roman Holiday" in which Draco leaves the first verse for Hermione in a secret admirer note he sends to her. I loved it so much, and it fit with my fic so well, that I had to find the rest and use it for my fic.

Longing

Come to me in my dreams, and then

By day I shall be well again.

For then the night will more than pay,

The hopeless longing of the day.

Came as thou cam'st a thousand times,

A messenger from radiant climes,

And smile on thy new world, and be

As kind to others as to me.

Or, as thou never cam'st in sooth,

Come now, and let me dream it truth.

And part my hair, and kiss my brow,

And say My love! why sufferest thou?

Come to me in my dreams, and then

By day I shall be well again.

For then the night will more than pay,

The hopeless longing of the day.

I also have to give credit to Edgar Allen Poe for writing "A Dream Within a Dream," in my opinion one of the most beautiful poems ever written. This is the poem that Hermione quotes to Severus.

A Dream Within a Dream

Take this kiss upon the brow!

And, in parting from you now,

Thus much let me avow-

You are not wrong, who deem

That my days have been a dream;

Yet, if Hope has flown away

In a night, or in a day,

In a vision, or in none,

Is it, therefore, the less gone?

All that we see or seem

Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar

Of a surf-tormented shore,

And I hold within my hand

Grains of golden sand-

How few! yet how they creep

Through my fingers to the deep,

While I weep - while I weep!

O God! can I not grasp

Them with a tighter clasp?

O God! can I not save

One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem

But a dream within a dream?

I hope you enjoyed chapter 10 of I Will Come To You In Your Dreams. Don't worry...it's not going to end there! We couldn't possibly end it on such a "peaches and cream" note, could we? Hopefully the next chapter won't take too long for me to finish. I have been fighting writer's block for quite awhile, so everybody send good writing vibes my way! Please? Thanks bunches for your reviews and helpful comments!!!

~*~Stellar Snape~*~


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Severus, can I see you in my office after breakfast?" Dumbledore asked between bites of scrambled eggs at breakfast that morning.

"Of course," Severus said, glancing over at Dumbledore. He watched as the Headmaster's face broke into a delighted smile.

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed, digging into his eggs once more.

Severus shook his head and went back to working on his own eggs, thoughts of the woman sitting next to him flooding his thoughts. He looked over at Hermione and sighed. She had her long hair pulled back into a twist, a few loose strands hanging down and framing her face, showing off her slim neck to its fullest advantage. He couldn't help but feel the urge to run his tongue over that perfect expanse of white flesh. He clenched his fork in his hand and gritted his teeth, willing himself to be under control and not simply whisk her away into his private chambers. 

He couldn't believe she had chosen him. The night before, when she had told him that she loved him, he was sure he was dreaming. There was no way a woman like her could ever love him. But she did. He felt a grin forming on his lips and fought to push it back down. It wouldn't do for his students to see him grinning like a madman at breakfast. They would think he was under some kind of spell. Well, he really was under a spell. Hermione had placed him under her spell as surely as the sun warmed the earth each day and there was no place he would rather be.

**********************************************************************************************************

"You wanted to speak to me, Albus?" Severus asked, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, leaning back in his chair. He studied Severus from over the tops of his spectacles for a moment. "May I ask where you spent your evening, Severus?"

Severus flinched. Of all the things Dumbledore could have wanted, that was the last thing he expected.

"Why?" he asked, furrowing his brow in what he hoped was a face of confusion.

Dumbledore chuckled.

"Well, I came down at around 11:00 because I had a feeling you needed some company."

Severus shook his head. That man knew everything, pure and simple.

"And?" Severus asked, fighting the grin that was struggling to the surface.

"And I noticed that your quarters were conspicuously absent of, well, you," Dumbledore stated, grinning. "Would I be prying too much into your personal affairs if I were to ask if Miss Granger was the recipient of your company?"

"As always, yes, you would be prying," Severus said, scowling at the Headmaster. "But as that has never stopped you before I will enlighten you of the information that you obviously already know."

Dumbledore laughed aloud, his head thrown back in merriment.

"Oh, Severus," he exclaimed, standing up and coming around the desk to pull Severus into a warm embrace. "I am overjoyed for the both of you."

"Thank you, Albus," Severus said, grinning down at the Headmaster.

"I don't think I need to remind you that discretion is vital," Dumbledore said, taking a seat in the chair next to Severus, rather than sitting down behind his desk.

"Of course not," Severus said, frowning. "I'm more aware than I would like to be of how dangerous our positions are. In fact, I nearly ruined everything yesterday."

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked, folding his hands over his white beard.

"I'm not going to go into detail," he began, "but after dinner I found Hermione by the lake throwing stones into the water. We exchanged a few words, I angered her of course," Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively at that. "And then she kissed me." Snape looked over at Dumbledore, a look of pure wonder clouding his features. "She kissed me! And I couldn't even begin to imagine how this beautiful creature could want me." He trailed off, staring out the window wistfully. "I started to fear for her safety. What kind of person would I be if I were to put her in more danger than she already is in? Certainly not a man who really loved her, not the way she deserved to be loved."

He stood up and walked over to the window, raising one hand to rest on the frame.

"I pushed her away, Albus," he said, clenching his fist. "Do you know how much that hurt?"

"Of course I do, Severus," Dumbledore said, sighing heavily. 

Severus turned and waited for the older man to finish. When he simply sat with his eyes closed in silence, Severus continued.

"I don't know how he knew, but Remus came to my chambers after it happened and literally had to put me in a full body bind to get me to listen," he whispered. "And I'm so grateful for that, because if he hadn't talked some sense into me, I never would have gone to her last night. I never would have known what it's like."

"What's that?" Dumbledore asked, smiling.

Severus lifted his head up and gazed into the smiling blue eyes staring back at him.

"Love."

*********************************************************************************************

"Okay," Hermione muttered to herself, running the tip of her quill down a long column of names. "Rhysen, Jacqueline, third year..."

_Tap, tap, tap. _

She looked up from the piece of parchment and glanced out the window behind her desk.

"Hedwig!" she shouted, jumping up from the chair and yanking the window open. The snowy owl soared through the open window and landed softly on the back of her chair, a piece of parchment rolled and tied to her leg. 

Hermione pulled the letter from the owl and sat down, absently stroking the soft feathers of the bird's chest. The owl hooted softly then hopped onto the desk, promptly dipping her beak into the goblet of pumpkin juice Hermione had been drinking.

"Help yourself," Hermione snorted, shaking her head. 

She unrolled the letter and smiled.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I was so glad to hear from you! You say I have some competition? Well, I would love to meet this girl. Anyone who loves Quidditch as much as myself is an ace in my book. You know that._

_How does Halloween sound to you? We have our first game of the season this weekend, but after that nothing until the fifth of November. I could come up on Friday and stay until Sunday. I can't wait to teach Jennifer some of my tricks. Oh don't worry, I'll squeeze a little time in for you as well._

Hermione rolled her eyes. She could almost picture the smug grin on his face as he sat writing the letter.

_Owl me back with your answer. I can't wait to see you Hermione! Not to mention Remus! Sirius keeps me posted, but I still miss Moony sometimes._

_Ron, Padma, Ginny, Lily, and all the Weasleys send their love. Hope to see you soon!_

_Love,_

_Harry_

Hermione let the parchment snap shut, then pulled open a desk drawer for a clean piece. She dipped her quill in the green ink she had started using and smiled. What would Harry think when he saw that she was using green ink? All her life she had been using deep purple ink. She shook her head. If he only knew.

_Dear Harry,_

_Halloween sounds marvelous! I can't help but think, however, that you have ulterior motives, Mr. Potter. It wouldn't be the famous Hogwarts Halloween Feast that is prompting you to come visit, is it? I know how you are, so don't deny it._

She grinned down at the parchment. No doubt he would get a kick out of that.

_Although I fear I will have to tear you from the Quidditch Pitch, I will arrange a Friday evening dinner for you, Remus, and myself in my private quarters. Just wait until you see where they have me living Harry! It's absolutely beautiful! I'm sure Ron would say something along the lines of, "It's a bit overdone, isn't it?" It suits me just fine._

__

_I can't wait to see you! Be sure to send my love to everyone as well. Don't forget to kiss Lily for me!_

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Hermione rolled and sealed the parchment, then tied it to Hedwig's leg.

"Take this to Harry now, Hedwig," Hermione murmured, softly stroking the owl's feathered head. "Off you go."

Hedwig nipped her finger, then took off out the window.

Hermione had just turned back to her paperwork when a soft rapping at her office door caught her attention. She sighed heavily, sure she was going to get no work done that day, then pushed her chair back from the desk and went over to the door. She pulled the door open and frowned. No one was there. She took a step out of the office, looked left, then right, and, seeing no sign of anybody ever having been there, turned to go back into her office. She looked up and just barely held back the scream that had built in the back of her throat. Standing where only a moment ago had been empty space, was Harry. He had a wolfish grin on his face, green eyes sparkling behind his glasses. She was speechless.

"Something scare you, Hermione?" he asked, shifting the Invisibility Cloak to his left arm. His voice snapped her out of her momentary loss of vocabulary.

"Harry!" she squealed, launching herself at him and throwing her arms around his neck. He laughed aloud, then picked her up and twirled her around the office. He put her down, still laughing.

"How dare you!" Hermione yelled, punching him squarely in the shoulder. "You scared me half to death you prat!"

"I'm happy to see you too, Hermione," he said, laughter still bubbling to the surface. "I'm glad to see you haven't changed."

Hermione blanched. If he only knew. 

"Well, I can certainly see you haven't changed," she said, sweeping past him to her desk. She perched on the very edge and glared at him. "You still act as if we were only thirteen years old."

He shrugged noncommittally, the grin still plastered on his face.

"Admit it, Hermione," he said. "You missed me and Ron and our practical jokes, didn't you?"

She glared at him, but could not hold it with Harry still smiling at her. A small smiled cracked through her defenses and she sighed, shaking her head.

"Yes, somewhere deep inside I did miss you." 

"See? I knew it," he said, looking around him at their surroundings. "Nice office, Mione. Was it like this when you got here?"

"No, I redecorated after moving in," she said, looking around her with a fond smile. "I had to. Everything reminded me too much of Poppy."

Harry looked at her and frowned.

"Are you holding up okay?" he asked. "It must be hard spending all your time in a place that holds so many memories."

"Yes, well I manage."

Hermione heard the door to the Hospital Wing click open, then small, quick footsteps. She looked at the clock and grinned. Jennifer would get quite a surprise when she came in for her nightly rounds.

"Miss Granger?" she called, rounding the corner and stepping into the office. "I needed to ask you..."

She trailed off as she noticed the second occupant of the room. The transition was hilarious. Hermione barely held back the hysterical laughter bubbling up inside as she watched Jennifer's eyes widen, her mouth opening into a wide "o" of surprise, then the blush creeping up her cheeks. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, no sound coming out except for a small "eep."

"Jennifer, I would like to introduce you to one of my very best friends, Harry Potter."

Harry stepped forward and took Jennifer's hand in both of his, grinning widely down at the speechless girl.

"Hello Jennifer," he said, bringing her hand up to his mouth and placing a light kiss on her knuckles. "It's very nice to meet you."

Hermione shook her head. Harry always was a charmer.

"Erm, I mean, hello," she whispered, gulping. 

"Hermione tells me you're a Seeker as well."

"Yes," she said, smiling faintly up at the handsome man. "For Gryffindor."

"Our old House, Hermione," Harry said, looking back at Hermione and winking roguishly at her. "I trust you still keep up the tradition of kicking Slytherin's arse, right?"

Jennifer laughed.

"Of course," she said, blushing deeper. "Although Professor Snape did a very fine job of picking his team this year. I'm not sure if we'll beat them."

"Snape picks the teams?" Harry asked, frowning. "I didn't know that."

"He only started picking the teams two years ago," Hermione pointed out, taking a few steps toward Harry and Jennifer. "He was a fine Quidditch player when he went to school here."

"Really," Harry said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Hermione.

"Jennifer," she said, dodging the look in Harry's eyes. "Could you please file this paperwork for me, then check on Mr. Albright?"

"Of course, Miss Granger," she said, looking regretfully up at Harry. 

"Jennifer, if you'd like, I could give you a few pointers tomorrow morning," Harry said.

"Really?" she squealed, positively glowing with delight. "You'd teach me some of your techniques? Oh I would love to! What time? Can you show me the Wronski Feint?"

Hermione laughed, noting with great amusement the matching looks of excitement and love of the sport in the two people's eyes. It was amazing, really, the way a true lover of Quidditch could forget everything else.

She cleared her throat, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at Jennifer and Harry.

"It looks like you and I both may be in serious trouble if we don't end this conversation pretty quick," Harry said, grinning amusedly at Hermione. "How does eight o'clock sound?"

"Perfect!" Jennifer exclaimed, literally bouncing on the balls of her feet in her excitement. "I'll see you then!" With that, she bounded off into Hermione's file room, not bothering to hide the exuberant cheer that escaped her lips the moment she was out of their sight.

"Looks like you made a fan," Hermione noted dryly, rolling her eyes at Harry. "Come on. I'm sure Remus will want to see you."

They made their way out of the Hospital Wing, then down a long, winding flight of stairs.

"Remus stays near the Gryffindor quarters," Hermione said, taking long strides toward a long tapestry near the end of the hall. She stopped in front of the tapestry and curtseyed formally to the knight standing guard at Remus's door. 

"Why..."Harry began, before Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs.

"Bow!" she hissed, eyes still lowered cordially to the floor.

Harry made a clumsy bow, clutching his ribs where Hermione had nudged him.

"Good evening Lady Hermione," the Knight said, taking off his helmet and bending slightly at the waist. He pushed his long, dark hair out of his eyes, then nodded politely at Harry. "I see you have a companion this evening."

"Yes, Sir Roderick, this is Harry Potter. Harry and I have come to visit Sir Remus. May we enter?"

"If you would allow me a moment to check with Sir Remus?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at Hermione. She bowed her head in acquiescence, then watched as Sir Roderick disappeared from view.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked, chuckling lightly.

"Sir Roderick guards Remus's door," Hermione said, reaching over to smooth down Harry's hair. It stood on end as soon as she stopped smoothing. "Remus likes the formality of the curtseying, and the 'Lady Hermione' and 'Sir Remus.' He may be a bit of a Romantic."

"Remus?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows quizzically.

Just as Hermione was about to answer the tapestry was flung aside and Remus came barreling out. He practically knocked Hermione down when he pushed past and wrapped his arms around Harry in a great bear hug of affection.

"Harry!" he exclaimed, pulling back so that he could look at the younger man. "Oh, Harry it's so wonderful to see you!"

"It's wonderful to see you too Remus," Harry said, squeezing the man's shoulder. They both laughed, then reached over and hugged again.

"What are you doing here? How are Ginny and Lily? You must tell me everything," Remus said, pulling on Harry's arm and ushering him toward the door.

"I'll just leave you two alone," Hermione said, grinning as the two men finally remembered that she was there. They grinned guiltily at her, both of them blushing to the roots of their hair. "It's alright. I have some things to do, anyway."

"You really don't mind?" Harry asked.

"Not at all," she said. "I'm sure you two have a lot of catching up to do, and I'll see you at dinner."

"Thanks Mione."

Hermione waved the two into Remus's rooms, then turned and walked slowly down the halls. It was wonderful to see Harry again, even if he didn't really want to spend his time with her. She had someone to spend time with now, anyway. Someone that Harry might not approve of. She frowned, shoving her hands deep in the pockets of her robes. Should she tell him? Surely she shouldn't be ashamed of Severus. She stopped and looked out the window, down at Hagrid's hut. No, she wasn't ashamed. Hagrid knew how she felt. Albus and Minerva knew how she felt. Why shouldn't Harry know? She started walking again, smiling lightly to herself as she remembered last night. He had been everything she dreamed of and more. Tender, loving, passionate, holding onto her as if she would fade away if he let go for an instant. Everything. He was an enigma, impervious to complete discovery even after they had shared the most intimate of experiences. But she loved him for his mystery, as well as his other qualities. It was so refreshing knowing that he had depths yet undiscovered. She wondered if he felt the same way about her. He certainly loved her. After last night there was no doubt in her mind the he loved her. Loved her as he had probably never loved another. 

She stopped again, leaning her head against the cool stone wall of the entrance to the dungeons. The dungeons? Her head snapped up, then she looked around wonderingly. How had she gotten here? She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts of Severus that she had unconsciously led herself to his domain. It felt familiar here, like him. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, taking a few slow steps down the hall. Torchlight flickered on the walls, making her shadow leap and dance to some unheard music, her footsteps echoing loudly as she walked. She reached out and ran her fingers over a painting of the Slytherin crest, her fingers raising slightly over the bumps and ridges of the paint on canvas. 

She turned away to head down to his rooms when she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist and pull her into a dark alcove. She whirled around to see who her captor was, wand raised in self-defense. A pair of glittering black eyes came into focus, then a grinning mouth. Severus.

"Jesus Severus," she said, putting her hand over her heart and taking deep breaths in and out. "You scared me half to death."

"I couldn't resist, you looked so lovely staring at that painting," he said, reaching up to smooth her hair away from her face. He smiled down at her, tenderly stroking her soft cheek.

"You shouldn't look at me like that," Hermione said, running her fingers down the row of buttons on his shirt.

"Why not?"

"Because you render me powerless," she answered, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. "I can't move or think. All I see and feel is you."

She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled his head down, their lips meeting hungrily. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, lifting until her feet left the ground. He guided her legs to wrap around his waist, then turned and pressed her back against the wall. His hands left her legs and made their way up her robes, pushing the collar aside to make room for his searching lips and tongue. She threw her head back against the wall, a moan of pleasure escaping between her lips. She could feel his hardness pressing between her legs and knew they had to take this elsewhere. A student could pass at any moment.

"Severus," she breathed, pulling at his head so that he looked into her eyes. His eyes were so clouded with pleasure and an intense fire for her that she almost couldn't continue. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We can't do this here. A student could come by at any moment."

He leaned his forehead against hers and sighed.

"You're right," he whispered, leaning in and kissing her lightly on the end of her nose. He let her slide down his body until her feet touched the floor, grinning mischievously at her the entire time. He knew what he was doing to her. Beast. "Shall we continue this elsewhere?"

Hermione ran her tongue over her lips slowly, feigning deep thought and consideration. His eyes watched her tongue intently, sparking with desire. Vixen.

"Absolutely," she said, taking his hand and leading him away from the alcove.

She had meant to tell him about Harry. She looked up at the man beside her and shivered in anticipation. Harry could wait.


End file.
